[344]. A Message From A Poem - Why, Lord, Why? The Lament For My Birds

[344]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHY, LORD, WHY? THE LAMENT FOR MY BIRDS

This poem is in blank verse because I just did not feel like any rhyme. It is written “as is”, just giving out my feeling. I very rarely write blank verse; I think maybe 2 or 3 times.

The subject is about the terror of the brown tree snake, a very aggressive snake and absolutely ruthless on birds; an evil snake. It is mildly venomous thought won’t kill a human; I have been bitten a few times. It is so aggressive, that when I have had them in my aviary in the past, they actually lurch in a strike at you; throw themselves at you, and don’t run away. It throws itself forward mouth wide open for about half its body length.

I hate these snakes more than anything as I have lost probably more than $2 - 3000 of birds. My aviary is scrutinised and I have no idea how the extreme sneaks can get in. The wire is 5 mm or one-quarter mesh. These snakes can be more than 4 feet long, up to 5 or 6 feet. It is called the night tiger because of the patterning. Name is “Boiga irregularis”.

The snake can grow to 2 metres/7 feet but that length would never get into my aviary.

I want to explain something. In the poem I question why God created these brown tree snakes. That is not irreligious but according to times when the Psalmists questioned God.

I am not exaggerating in the poem. That is how I feel – sad and upset and depressed at the loss of beautiful birds.

There are some lines I want to explain.

(a). “But God allowed it.” Yes, in God’s permissive will He allows it. I wish He wouldn’t and one day the snake won’t harm after the Second Coming. Here is an interesting passage telling us what all Nature is wishing for – {{Romans 8:20-22 “for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it - in hope that the CREATION ITSELF ALSO WILL BE SET FREE FROM ITS SLAVERY to corruption, into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS AND SUFFERS the pains of childbirth together until now.”}}

(b). “Pretty ruddies; lovely tri-colored finch; A mannikin too.” The 6 birds that were taken were a pair of ruddies and 2 young ones; one lovely tri-colored finch and a manikin.

(c). “Send Jonah’s shade gourd.” It comes from this verse – {{Jonah 4:6 “The LORD God appointed a PLANT, and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort, and Jonah was extremely happy about the plant”}}. The AV translation of “plant” is “gourd”. My use of that is a call for comfort for me as the plant provided comfort for Jonah.

(d). “Little wonder Satan used the serpent To undermine Eve.” That means the brown snake is so evil, it is a good companion for Eve’s serpent, though Satan had taken that snake over. {{Genesis 3:1 Now THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made, and he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”}}

(e). “God has compassion. I understand, because I had my own.” I then move to God’s compassion for the hurt in human beings and the sorrow it all brings. That then moves to the resolution of all these aspects in the poem.

I am not sure what you will think of it, but try to understand the developing theme.

ONE LATE ENTRY ? Last week (near the end of April 2026) I discovered another horrible creature that must have been hiding away in the ridge capping of the roof for a long while and had been taking single birds and all the babies from the nests. I knew something was wrong and went to check with a torch about 8 pm. There it was twisted around perches and making its way to sleeping finches. I entered and grabbed the mongrel thing! That wicked creature was between 4 to 5 feet long. I now have too many birds without partners. I feel so sorry for them.

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WHY, LORD, WHY? THE LAMENT FOR MY BIRDS

Lord, I am depressed.

A snake has taken my beautiful birds.

Six birds; three species.

My lovely finches taken by evil.

It’s beyond comfort.

Victims were defenceless, harmless finches.

Why did it happen?

Why, Lord, did you allow that evil thing?

It happened once more.

Many times in the past it had occurred.

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I checked thoroughly.

No place for a snake to enter the cage,

Yet six birds one night,

Asleep in nesting boxes and perches.

Evil, brown tree snake;

The most vicious and vile of all tree snakes!

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God let it happen.

I trusted it would not occur again,

But God allowed it.

The innocent birds suffered that terror.

Picked off one by one.

I feel so bad now like it is my fault,

So I am to blame.

I did all I could that was possible.

Lord, why create snakes?

Why create that most evil, brown tree snake?

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Today I am sad.

I lost the friendly, harmless birds I love.

Such a wretched death.

All night these snakes go round and round searching.

They never give up.

Satan’s quest impels them on to havoc.

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They have evil eyes;

Eyes of wickedness that seek out goodness

To bring misery.

Pretty ruddies; lovely tri-colored finch;

A mannikin too,

All heartlessly swallowed most greedily.

Why allowed, O God?

Why this to cause me distress and sadness?

I understand not.

It’s not fair the harmless ones should suffer.

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Send Jonah’s shade gourd.

Subject me to its shade that I might know.

Give me comfort now.

I feel the hurt when night wickedness struck.

In the dark it moves.

Come into the light so I can see you,

Underhanded beast!

Little wonder Satan used the serpent

To undermine Eve.

Well qualified with unrefined evil;

And with guile immense.

That’s its nature, the brown tree snake, the worst.

Pernicious creature,

It hunts slyly. It’s wicked to the core.

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There is a lesson,

A special lesson we have to heed.

Evil never sleeps.

It operates always through this world’s night.

A roaring lion,

But comes as an angel of light to us.

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Make preparations.

Shore up the defences, making them strong.

Build against Satan!

Build with righteousness, and faith, and the sword.

Protect Your saints, Lord,

That they be not swallowed by wicked means.

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God has compassion.

I understand, because I had my own.

Sorrow for the loss;

I lost my finches and was very grieved.

God’s heart too, is grieved,

Not willing that one soul ever be lost.

God’s love is perfect.

It does not delight in a sinner’s death.

The Man of Sorrows –

Grief was His over the sins of mankind.

For my birds I lose;

I can do nothing, my birds to retrieve.

But for the sinners,

Jesus Christ can save to the uttermost.

What is lost is found;

What was taken by Satan can be saved.

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I don’t understand.

What happened to my finches, faith must trust.

Let me be at peace,

Content to know that God will comfort me.

In life or in death God is my Tower;

He’s steadfast and sure.

May I rest in the Lord now and always.

Give me Your great joy,

My great Saviour; the carer of my soul!

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27 February 2026 Ron Ferguson Metre = 5-10 throughout Blank verse