Timid Roos

Tinamous are walking birds,
And less a flock and more a herd –
For they are nested in the clade
Of ratites, who are flightless-made.
They stalk the woods and grassy prairie
Like the unflown cassowary,
And we find great kinship here
With emu cousins, and the rhea.
And yet, the timorous still fly –
Although in truth they rarely try,
And much prefer to run away
That take to clumsy flight, they say.
So do they ever look around
At ratites, stranded on the ground,
To see how each evolved this trait
Quite independently of late ?,
And wonder if their future lies
In never taking to the skies…?
Or do they fear a coming trend
Where they grow fat and can’t ascend ?
It’s evolution pulls the strings
And robs the kiwi of its wings,
But also builds the ostrich tall –
Will tinamous yet hear the call ?

Day 18 – Flightless – #inktober #inktoberpoem #inktoberpoetry