What’s wrong?
Said the snake to the songbird.
What’s wrong, little songbird?
Why don’t you sing me a song?
You see,
Said the songbird to the snake.
You see, I’m tired of running away.
Of hiding, of only singing songs
That others want to hear.
What’s wrong?
Said the songbird to the snake.
What’s wrong, Mr. Snake?
Why don’t you just eat me and go?
You see,
Said the snake to the songbird.
You see, I’m tired of being the villain.
I’m tired of chasing you down.
It doesn’t seem quite fair.
I agree,
Said the songbird to the snake.
I agree, I’m tired of running away.
I’m tired of being oppressed
And living my life in fear.
I’m sorry,
Said the snake to the songbird.
I’m sorry, for making you run.
For making you hide
And cower in fear.
Well, thank you,
Said the songbird to the snake.
Well, thank you, for seeing what you did wrong.
I do not forgive your actions,
But I will try to understand
Your own situation.
This poem is something I wrote to remind myself that not everyone who has wronged you is inherently a bad person. Sometimes they don’t even mean it. But they still wronged you. You don’t have to forgive them, but sometimes it can help to look at things from their perspective.
Comments
Your message really resonates with me, because I'm always trying to remind myself that someone else may just be having a bad day and deserve some grace for their words or actions. But you're right: You're not obligated to forget, or forgive (a message that many people preach as virtuous, but is a personal choice, I firmly believe). The set-up of the conversation between prey and predator to communicate that idea was an intelligent and effective format choice.
Thanks so much! It means a lot to me that you connect with my work!
the title made me thing of the book a ballad of songbirds and snakes
Yeah, same lol. :)
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