Providence

                                                                              Latha Prem Sakhya

The little sparrow

Excited on its prime trip

Full of joy and aspiration

Landed on the car rack

Even as her friends flew away.

Stranded and trapped

  In an unknown place

Hungry and cold she waited,

Some hand would lift her up

Protect her from the cold,

Creeping up her tiny feet,

Paralyzing her bit by bit.

The cold wind had ruthlessly

Knocked her down to fall

On the luggage rack

Where she huddled

While death, snake like

Mesmerizing  drew nearer and nearer.

The car stopped suddenly

The air no more pierced her

She huddled into her wings, 

When a warm hand reached out

The fingers massaged her gently

Lighting up a fire in her

The heat seeped into her body

Chasing the numbness away.

Warm and comfortable

She stared through the window

The whiff of cold air made her shiver.

Dismally she looked around

Everything seemed friendly

Even those around her.

She stood swaying

Smoothing her ruffled feathers

She poised herself to fly

The slicing cold wind

Dismally put her off.

But a  split second later

Mustering all her strength

She flapped her wings 

And flew away

Never looking back.