honour and respect

this is the warning of a coming fire
we do not know direction or effect
our best efforts cannot as yet detect
the best approach or how best to aspire
to fullest glory before we retire
and so we wait for others to reject
our vague attempts at honour and respect
while urgent signals hum along the wire
a message sent before might have meant much
had we but heard it when we were awake
but now we rush to learn too late the word
of those who have put our hearts out of touch
and left not one safe choice for us to take
so that we mourn the last departed bird