The Mythical Kingfisher

With the first rays of the sun,
I bring a bright blue happiness to the world.
I find myself at the same bank of water
Everyday.
In expectation of Fish
The food of my liking.
Alas! The water is dark and slimy.
All I see is a black, green and brown,
for as far as my eyes
and sometimes even my wings take me!

Perched on an electric wire,
I wait patiently
Look intently
For longer and longer
each day now!
I seek my food
in the black, green and brown.

Ah! I see a bubble rise up
There definitely must be fish
Excited! I make my dive
Quick and focused
Beak first
Nothing! Yet again!
Just another inflated plastic bag
letting its air out!
leaving me black, brown and green
and a weird smell that takes days to go!
I smell no good anymore!

The fish have long left,
not finding the air to breathe
beneath the slime
They have gone to a happier place
While I wait in hope!
desperate and in despair
yet hopeful in god's world.

I remember the day
When I could see my bright blue
In the light blue of the water!
When kids came to watch me
Make my dive
swift and focused
Yelping with joy
I emerge proud; Fish in beak.
They clapped and asked for more
sometimes I obliged.

No kids anymore
It is difficult to spot me
In all the slime!
My friends have left
and I get by with worms and human waste now!

I am no long the Kingfisher of yore!
Just a pathetic shadow of the past
Soon to become a myth
as all my kind go extinct
giving up hope
on human kindness and empathy.
No longer able to live
in the black, brown and the slimy green.

~ 26th October 2012. At a Bridge in Pune on an early morning walk.