A TALE OF THE CHAIN BLAME

Once upon a time
A fly cried that claps are serving as traps
…in wanting it dead
So it sang unsingable songs in the ears
…of a hiding nightingale
Whose frustration was visible even to the sky

II
The nightingale
…afraid of the children’s catapult
…and the hunter’s gun
Fled to hide amidst the fowls on the ground
Singing beautiful sad songs about its ordeal
Until the hen used all its strength to chase it
…to fly back up
Shouting
“…who sings so loud when hawks hover?”

III
The hen
…which had seen so many deaths of its young
…through the ruthless hawk
Felt no guilt when nightingale
…reported her to cock

IV
In the circle of complaints
Tortoise, who heard them all
Said calmly
“Each carries their own burden
So we must all endeavor to bear our crosses
…without adding on to the crosses of others”
That said, the chain blame ended
With hen looking at nightingale
…and nightingale looking at fly
…as fly watched the trap claps from afar
That ended the tale
…of the chain blame
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © February 20, 2021