Catullus Poem Adaptation

By James Teng ’26

Oh the tender souls that fell,
The loss of the pet is commemorated by all,
My girl's sparrow, cherished, in her heart,
Now gone from us and living in the dark.
 
It was not just a bird
But a part of the family, as the third.
She knew its every chirp, its every move,
A bond so deep, no words could ever prove.
 
No more hopping around her lap,
No more singing along with its joyful flap.
It took the path where no return could be made,
To the deep shadows as it fades.
The shades that swallow beauty's grace,
Taking from us, the beloved face.
 
Oh cruel fate, oh my dear sparrow,
Your sound and existence still echo
Even below.
 
Now, in her eyes, which once had light,
Swollen and red, they are no longer bright.
Oh mourn with me, for this loss we share,
A bond of love, beyond compare.