Love Poem: Of Animal and Bird Parents
Ndaba Sibanda Avatar
Written by: Ndaba Sibanda

Of Animal and Bird Parents

Let me put your parenting skills
Under the microscope, my thrills!  

You share your food with the young
You eat, regurgitate for the fledging

What childcare, what love & nurturing 
You, bird parents take turns food hunting

I adore how you bring food to the nest 
You feed the chicks as if you don’t rest!

You, dogs and cats hunt and share the kill
Mother dogs help the pups to eat to the fill 


I see animals bring down prey and feast
In a social order, in packs, this, that beast

I see parent animals teach their young
To walk, hunt & who says that`s wrong?

Apes & simians feed each other when caring
For the wounded or the ill, when …yes, dating!

I don’t know whether elephants teach their young
Courting, but yes, food choices & a good tongue!