A ratsnake crawled up the huge mango tree
Where the little birds and squirrels lived in free
I thought that would be the end of their lives
But what an inspiring moment that was to me.
At once the squirrels who foresaw the catastrophe
Squealed and screamed to inform the souls
The captain bird appeared and commanded to attack.
The robins came and stabbed the enemy with their little beaks
The sparrows came and dragged its tail from their tiny claws
The hair birds came and pushed the enemy with their tiny wings
Without resting a moment, the war continued.
No racialism or nationalism, all were together
All had even a single execution in the war
Oh! my stars! How amazing!
The ratsnake! How amazing!
The rat snake was weak and crawled down from the tree in pain
'Unity is strength' said all birds and squirrels in vain.
Ranindi Sathnara Fernando,
Grade 11 B,
Ferguson High School,
Ratnapura.