Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Love birds

There was a man at the town square in Copenhagen, who was covered with pigeons.

I walked up to him, took a snap; took two more.

I smiled at him.

He gazed at me without welcome or hostility, like I was not really there. His pigeons and seagulls were around him, on him, over him.

How long have you been feeding them?

For a while.

Seems like they recognize you....

That they do.

Look, one is on your head!

He smiled, with the pigeon perched atop his head as feathers on his nonexistent cap.

It was then I noticed his hands. There were claw marks, blood clots, where the beaks and claws have thought fit to enter. He still fed them pieces of hot-dog buns. And was silently talking to them.

I stood there, half curious, half afraid of their talons, wondering about his strange world, envying him a little.

Isnt love like this? Like a flock of pigeons who trust you, it takes many years to nurture. Like the pigeons, it still unwttingly hurt you with the sharp beaks and talons. And those outside the magic ring are half afraid, half curious;about this strange sensation.

7 comments:

Seema said...

Aint that called unconditional love and trust? Loved that comparison.

Nikhil Narayanan said...

profound!

Nice one.
:)

Macadamia The Nut said...

Like love? I wonder...

I would say its more like life... Leaving its bite-marks on you at times and yet, giving you those moments of bliss that makes everything worth it.

But then, hey, I'm not the one doing the thinking here.

Lol!

Very NICE post!!

Surya said...

@ seema & nikhil : thanks guys!

@mtn: not really... the difference is that, you are part of life unlike me who stood at the edge of the experience and refused to participate.

life doesnt give you the choice of not participating... the max you can do is to be comfortably numb so that you dont feel any sensations...

Macadamia The Nut said...

Lol! Or be a masochist and enjoy every minute ;)

The Lonely Backpacker said...

isn't it time for a new post ?

Usha said...

beautifully said!