LAMENT TO THE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS OF CYPRUS
To the beautiful birds of Cyprus, oh where, oh where, have you gone? You brought such joy, to those who heard you and lifted our hearts with your song.
Oh beautiful birds of Cyprus,you also belonged to me. I cried out from my home and the fields that surround me but the blasts of the shotguns brought silence.
To satisfy passions and gain evil profit,other devious souls use mist-nets and lime-sticks. Why do they not see that deaths such as these, sacrifice beauty yes, but also salvation?
Where is the Image of God in such works?
Man as Image, must reflect the type,which the Fathers teach us is Love. So Man or Priest, beware of your souls,for nothing is hidden from God.
Oh beautiful birds of Cyprus, the sound in the morning is silence; To be broken now, not by song, joy or love,but by gunshots, destruction and death.
……………….
Editor’s note.
As you can see, we are having problems with the layout of this poem. Bear with us whilst we try to iron out the glitch.
If you wish to learn more on the illegal hunting and trapping of birds in Cyprus see http://www.birdlifecyprus.org.
If you have poems on relevant themes, please email them to us at panorthodoxconcernforanimals@gmail.com.