Home Page | Poem: 1 2 3 4

House Sparrows
and Honeysuckle




I wanted to give my town garden
A touch of the countryside,
So I planted a Honeysuckle
On a trellis, high and wide.
I watched with pleasure as it grew,
Then, one morning, to my dismay,
I saw it was covered in aphids,
I would have to get a spray.
The thought made me uneasy,
One hears so much these days,
About the dangers of chemicals
And the harm caused by using sprays.
Then as I worked in my kitchen,
A cheerful chirp I heard,
I turned towards the window
To look for that happy bird.
House sparrows, not just one or two
But eight or nine at least,
Weaving their way through the twining stems
For an unexpected feast.
They chattered and squabbled and darted,
Enjoying nature's free gift,
And as I shared in their delight,
It gave my spirit a lift.
Watching them there, I decided
I won't be getting a spray,
I'll leave it to Mother Nature,
And let her do things her way.

Note:The photograph at the top of this page is copyright and appears by kind permission of Cynthia McKenney