Darkness is coming. Earlier and earlier each night the blue sky and warmth that comes with the Sun gives way to the cold harsh reality that the seasons are changing. The fiery colors that the trees show us bring warmth to our souls but lies to our flesh. Just as sure as the leaves will fall to the ground, a bitter chill will follow. Change is coming to this world, all the signs in heaven and earth point to it as being inevitable.

It the time in the year for the birds to decide what they will do to survive. I, the crow, sit on a branch and watch for these changes. I happened to hear two birds in the woods, both of them appearing as an eagle. And both seemed very concerned with the other birds of the forest. The eagle to my left called out, "Hear me my fellow birds, you must put your differences aside, the times that are coming will be difficult for all. You must gather all that you have and give it to me, The owl will take for himself, but with your help I shall spread the abundance, do not worry my starling and sparrow all shall work as one."

"On hearing this the eagle to my right raised it's voice, "Do not do this, the owl is doing what is best for him, feed yourselves and let him fight for what is his. We must make sure that the owl survives, so give to him your surplus so that if the fox comes to our forest he may be your protector. Let the scraps that fall from the owl be yours. If his talon takes your food from your mouth do not worry, there will always be more. If you do this we shall have the strongest birds of any forest and you will be a part of that strength. Join me goldfinch and wren and we shall be a mighty group."

At the edge of the forest I could see what appeared to be a man. It was difficult to hear his words, but he spoke to all the birds of the forest that would listen, "Do not be anxious at what you shall eat or what you shall drink, come to me and I shall feed you." "Both of the eagles have told you lies, on the left both the the owl and eagle, intended to take all that you gave so that they could split it up between themselves leaving you with very little or nothing at all." "The eagle on the right also had a deal with the owl to make sure that they would remain the strongest birds of the forest, gaining both from their work and the work of the weaker birds" "My poor little friends you have every right to be upset because the owl dressed up as the eagle and they stood side by side in deceiving you. It did not matter which path you took they only cared that you listened to one of them instead of hearing my voice." "So go and warn the other birds of the forest of this deception and also teach them how to find me. In my field the smallest bird shall be the first to eat and the tricksters will not share in the banquet. At this the grosbeak and the dove then flew off to warn the others."

Fearing that their plan would come undone the owl still in disguise as the eagle berated himself before anyone else got a chance to, he yelled "The owl was working with the eagle to your right! Join me birds of the forest and we shall expose their crimes."

But the goldfinch and wren took the side of the eagle on the right and said, "Look, the owl was working with the eagle on the left! And since it is the eagle on the left telling us to oppose the owl we must not, for surely he is playing a trick on us. We should instead stand with the owl."

The grosbeak and the dove came to where the others were arguing and said, "The owl has been manipulating you all." But the wren and goldfinch replied, "The eagle on the left wanted to take what is ours and we will not survive the winter if we allow that. Since he stands against the owl and you do as well you must want to take all of our food as he does." The starling and sparrow replied, "But the owl will take from everyone if we do nothing and we are growing cold and hungry, it has already taken from us the past and will again when he gets the chance."

The grosbeak and dove speak up louder this time, "Please listen to us, the eagle on the left is in fact the owl. The eagle on the right knew this the whole time and they were working together. If you chose the argument from the eagle on the right, they win. If you chose the argument from the eagle on the left, they still win. The truth is that all of you who were angry at the owl and all of you that were angry at the eagles were all correct in being angry. Come join us!"

But the others did not listen to the grosbeak and dove, they were called liars, they argued, "If the eagle on the left was really the owl, then why would he speak badly of the owl? If the eagle on the right was working with the owl then why would he speak against the bird on the left who you claim to be the owl." They could not understand such treachery. So the argument just went on and nothing ever got settled. Eventually they all fell exhausted from the bickering without having the strength to even gain the resources they would need for the winter. The starling, sparrow, wren, goldfinch, owl, and eagle all died that winter because of a twisted game that was being played.

But as is the way of all things, that which ends brings a chance for new beginning. Just as sure as there is autumn there is spring and the return of the summer warmth from the Sun. The system that we have now is for the birds. Change is coming to this world, all the signs in heaven and earth point to it as being inevitable. I for one look forward to it, and will crow when it arrives.

You really got into this one didnt you

I recently found that my animal totem is a dove. And i have been posting a speech i plan giving saturday at Occupy Amarillo. My bestfriend will be joining me at this attempt to get my word of peace out.

That was really original and cool !! And also sad but true.

That was absolutely clever and brilliant , thank you , I enjoyed it thoroughly

I hope you plan to write more!

Star for you

Thank you, I wouldn't mind placing in the top three, but I feel satisfied with my entry even if I fall short of that mark.