Given

Given
by Nadia Colburn
first published in The High Shelf

(King Island Emu,
Mariana Mallard,
Pink-headed Duck,
Labrador Duck
New Zealand Quail
Double-Banded Argus
Hawkins Rail
Red Rail
Red-Throated Wood Rail
White-Winged Sandpiper
Eskimo Curlew
Colombian Grebe
Bermuda Night Heron
Ascension Night Heron
New Zealand Little Bittern
Small St Helena Petrel
Large St Helena Petrel
St-Helena Dove
Passenger Pigeon
Silvery Pigeon
Mauritius Blue Pigeon
Rodriquez Gray Pigeon
Bonin Woodpigeon
Sulu Bleeding-heart
Black-Fronted Parakeet
Society Parakeet
Paradise Parrot
Night Parrot
Cuban Red Macaw
Cuban Kite
Laughing Owl
Alfaro’s Hummingbird
Imperial Woodpecker
Brace’s Emerald
Gould’s Emerald
Bush Wren
Red Sea Swallow
White-eyed River Martin
Rueck’s Blue Flycatcher
Bay Starling
Mysterious Starling
Black-lored Waxbill)

whose songs we do not hear.

This poem is about birds that are critically endangered or have gone extinct because of human behavior. Nadia is a writing and development coach, teacher, writer, yogi, activist, and mother. You can learn more about her here!