Sunday Sestina about Birds

Thunk lands the scrub-jay
startling the dove
whose beak was in her armpit
Next door, making all sorts of noise, is that chicken
The dove looks around
for the thunk-source of the sound

It was a thick clunk, really, the sound,
so heavy was the scrub-jay
from his feet to his crown, all around
Quite the mass of more than three doves
Stretch the wings from the armpit
Still crazy, insane, that chicken

What? What? What? What? screams the chicken
She hadn’t even heard the thunk sound
She was chasing her own armpit
She was unaware of the scrub-jay
She was going around and around and around
The heartbeats did slow in the dove

The dove,
so calm compared to the chicken
who was still going around and around and around
But the heaviness of the sound
How could something fly after such a thunk, that scrub-jay?
It was like he held lead weights in his armpits

The softest place on a bird is the armpit
Always protected, especially on a dove
Somewhat less so, on the scrub-jay
And it is a tasty place, of course, on the chicken
But we will not make that sort of a sound
Think not of eating, think around

that sort of thing, think around
Think nothing of eating the chicken’s armpit
That would be a horrible sound
to let escape from our mouths, said the dove
Don’t let her hear, don’t let the chicken…
She’s already half-mad, yes, Mr. scrub-jay?

Oh, yes, said the scrub-jay, certainly that chicken
is as insane as an armpit with no sound
Oh, yes, echoed the dove, and will you take me around?

The following text has been translated from English to Arabic, Arabic to Dari (Persian), Dari (Persian) to Swahili, and Swahili to English using Google Translate. The original text was copied from the opening five paragraphs of the online article by Peter Baker, Helene Cooper, and Mark Mazzetti reporting for The New York Times that Osama Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011. According to Wikipedia, terrorist attacks in Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Nairobi, and the United States have been attributed to Osama Bin Laden since 1992.

"Bin Laden is dead, Obama is:

"President Obama and kill Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of dramatic attacks on American soil in modern times, most personable man hunt in the world, instead of fire and U.S. forces in Pakistan on Sunday - and Washington.

"Late night appearance at the State House Room East, said that Obama 'is right,' and showed the U.S. Army Agency for Intelligence and activists finally Bin Laden, leader of al Qaeda, which makes them nearly ten years he had forgotten in the corner were. U.S. officials said bin Laden was the opposition and head injuries. Later buried at sea.

"News and eating outpouring great feeling as the crowd outside the White House in Times Square and the ground zero site, the flag of the United States waving, and shouting encouragement, laughter and chanting: 'USA, USA america' in the city of New York, drivers honked rock crowd 'banner decorated with stars.' Welcome to downtown Washington, Horn has a night.

"'For over two decades, al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden was a sign,' the President said in a statement broadcast around the world. 'Bin Laden's death is an important achievement so far in our nation's efforts to defeat al Qaeda, but his death is the end of our efforts Have no doubt that al Qaeda continues attacks against us .. You must stay alert and we are home and out of the country. '

"Bin Laden's death at this crucial, and the American-led war against terrorism, with emphasis on stroke signs in the accuracy of those who follow New York and Washington on 11 September 2001 is attacked. What remains to be seen, however, is whether it would encourage supporters of bin Laden and his witness, or close to war in Afghanistan and provides inspiration for Obama for U.S. troops are home...."

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