In Solidarity With Ukraine: The Nightingale's Song by Terrence Boyle

The Nightingale’s song
 
The little nightingale sang a song of freedom.
Its voice clear and the joyous sound echoed unceasingly.
Capturing the world with its tune,
People who had never heard it sing before
Stopped and listened to the enchanting melody.
Good people, cheered by the song,
Happily, welcomed the little bird into their hearts.
 
A bear passing, its ears twitching, was not pleased,
Caught the song in a passing breeze.
Though he could not decipher nor comprehend the meaning,
It was the strength of the song that irked him most.
Roaring brusquely, brandishing his immense bulk, he cursed air.
 
And, while other animals and birds hid for fear of the bear’s wrath,
The unperturbed nightingale sang louder and longer.
 
Incensed by the bird’s defiance and lack of respect,
The bear determined to put an end to its song,
besieged the beautifully feathered bird in its nest,
Muscled its brute form onwards to the tower of song,
Ruthlessly, tearing at everything that got in his way.
No one was safe from his bullying tactics.
 
Eyes watched as the bear came dangerously close,
Innocent blood dripping from the massive black paws.
 
Still, the little heart would not surrender to the beast,
Refusing silence, continuing at the peril of its existence,
Its soulful pathos resounded in the hearts of all who heard it.
The Goliath bear began to terrorize the little bird’s sanctuary,
And, for a moment the world was silent, Angels wept.
Nothing could be heard but the bearish growl of antipathy.
 
Thinking himself victorious, the bear’s snarl boomed out.
The earth shuddering beneath the animal’s bloody trail.
 
Strained by its resistance, the little bird chirped once more.
And, thinking he’d heard the death rattle of the vanquished,
The bear laughed,
Until the air around him was suddenly full of joyous singing,
Angels and people everywhere began to echo the nightingale’s song.
              -- Terrence Boyle