How do birds survive and grow
I ask of you dear sage,
I’ve wondered oft about the crow
And his abode in a golden cage.

For, no colorful plumage to speak or fawn
Does he possess like the peacock;
No gliding elegance of the regal swan
Or about a walk that one can talk.

To a dulcet voice he can ill subscribe
Like the black cuckoo bird,
That grating caw-caw of his tribe.
His "singing" have you heard?

The endearing tongue of a parrot cute
Can he ever hope to attain?
Even as a child’s toy he merits dispute 
Why, the crow is quite simply plain.

Tricked by the koel he does hatch
Incubating its eggs in his nest
Pray, indeed - what be the catch
That he should covet the very best?

(Translated from a Sanskrit slokam)

Rajeshwari Iyer lives in Brampton, Ontario and teaches Chemistry at the College/University level in Toronto. She is the mother of a special needs child and enjoys reading, music and travel. She has contributed poems to SAWF (South Asian Women's Forum), Magazines such as KALA, Marina, quarterly publications based in Toronto. She has also contributed to e-zines such as Poetry.com, Thinnai, and Tamilonline.