Who Really Killed Robin?
Poetic suspicions
The Robin is dead, The Sparrow is blamed. But what if, instead, He was wrongfully shamed? It’s claimed he confessed, And felt no remorse. The death, Fly witnessed, But not the shot, of course. The Fish caught his blood — What a strange thing to do! And all flies love a good Corpse, it’s true. Were they involved? Did they Kill him themselves? Or did they betray Sparrow to shield someone else? Rumor has it they both owe A debt to their friend, The wily old Crow Living near Archer’s Bend. Robin lies in his barrow — What more can we learn? They’ve dispatched the Sparrow. It’s not our concern. We’ll ask no more questions And tell no lies. But distrust suggestions From crows, fish, and flies.
This is how I imagine the suspicions of some of the mourners (perhaps the couple of Wrens) listed in the old nursery rhyme, “Who Killed Cock Robin?” You can read the rhyme and its history on Wikipedia. In some versions, the Sparrow is tried and executed by hanging, and in at least one other, he’s killed by a judge in the form of a hawk. This article on the Bird Spot web site offers some theories about the origin and meaning of the rhyme. I’ve always wondered what the Sparrow’s motive was, or if it was an accident, why was he executed? Was there some sort of cover up? In my mind, the speakers in the poem I’ve shared above decide not to voice their suspicions to the rest of the community out of fear. Finally, I’ll note that I’m actually quite fond of crows, and not particularly disdainful of fish or flies, despite having sullied their reputations above. :)
