Her Love was Pigeon-Like

This Poem is dedicated to Mrs Kemi (Nee Abolaji) for the exceptional love she demonstrated to my late friend, Engineer Eyitayo Ebunlomo years back.

1. Net was set for

The grey colored bird,

It ignored warnings of

Parents and entered net

2. Net owner takes it,

To his home among

The beautiful houses in

City living with him

3. It was living with

The House owner of

The possessor fed the

Bird for a while

4. While feeding her the

Grey bird thought it

Was better off for

Her than ‘twas before

5. Than when in wilderness

With parents where they

Would struggle and fly

For miles before feeding

6. Tide of things turned

As its owner fails

To pay attention to

This bird as before

7. Started maltreating it to

Cap it all not

Feeding it well as

Afore resulting in sickness

8. At that, owner ignored

It though repeated calls

Were made by Agapornis

That he should care

9. This bird recovered from

Its illness but pretended

As though still ill

Did not eat anything

10. Owner could not withstand

This threw it away,

Where it landed on

Away it flew off

11. It could not return

To wilderness for it

Could not trace its

Parents neither siblings again

12. It started perching on

Roof top of a house

The owner discovers it,

Began caring for it

13. It would not take

The care to mean

Love for first owner

Did something like this

14. New person’s love never

Wanes, his love keeps

Growing telling the bird

“I know you ‘r depressed”

15. The words he repeated

Day and night as

he looks at it

Taking care of it

16. Sometimes after, bird notices

This difference and started

Relaxing, feeling at home

With the new owner

17. Owner’s love also grew

In bird’s heart would

Accompany him few distance

When going to work

18. Knows when owner used

To return from office

‘T would be at entrance

Waiting to welcome him

19. Owner too was glad

That grey bird could

Come off her cocoon

Gave him a chance

20. A chance to love

It, a chance to

Take care of it,

Getting over its past

21. At office would think

Of the bird when

He finds anything good

Would buy it home

22. Bird’s health status seen

To be better than

Before, looking beautiful adorable

Compliant, charming and happy

23. Owner’s life too not

Same again, more Energetic

And productive, all knew

Something entered his life

24. For years they continued

To enjoy their relationship

And the bird was

Always on man’s bosom

25. One day the owner

Could not wake early

Bird disturbed, knocking at

Door with its beak

26. Finally woke up and

Was happy rushed to

Work and seen off

To work as usual

27. When owner ought to

Return home didn’t return,

Waited endlessly at gate

But no sign of him

28. Couldn’t trace him that

Night but second day

Traced to office, yet,

No sign of him

29. Returned home depressed but

While waiting saw someone

Entered compound to take

Owner’s belongings to hospital

30. Owner has been hospitalized

followed the person to

The hospital there seen

Owner and lover sick

31. Wouldn’t leave hospital

Stayed by window started

Singing for its lover

For his quick recovery

32. When conscious saw bird

And was happy that

It has been around

All along with others

33. Two weeks after he

Was discharged and he

Left for home with

His adorable, lovely bird

34. Eight weeks after sickness

Relapsed and was taken

Back to hospital placed

In Intensive Care Unit

35. When it couldn’t be

Found bird returned to

Hospital searched and located

Him kept watching him

36. Owner was comatose for

Days did not open

Eyes from there he

Gave up the ghost

37. When his body was

Being wrapped in body

Bag, that was when

It knew, lover’s gone

38. Cried, cried but wouldn’t

Leave the place until

Taken to the cemetery

There he was buried

39. Bird made the cemetery

Its new home always

Returning to the tomb

Of its dead lover.

40. It never believed it

Could be over like

That, alas it was,

Its lover’s ever-gone