Blink and We're Gone

You could say we were shining in the spotlight.

We could have lived on, but no,

you can effectively say that

we went from billions

to zero.

We once dominated the skies of North America,

and in sheer numbers we flew

across and over early towns

taking in the wonderful view.

Then you accused us of damaging your oh-so-precious crops,

when all we were doing was trying to find food.

You shot down our children, one by one,

leaving no next generation.

Like that, we were slaughtered

in the most atrocious, appalling ways.

We were threatened,

then endangered,

then extinct.

All only after a century; how swift.

We are the passenger pigeons, birds with a dark history.