A Blackbirds lament

[Tiger the Lion]

Hey Keith, this is really nice. I agree with Leanne about some of the punctuation. You've written in long, somewhat complicated sentences, which I love - but it's always tricky trying to punctuate clearly without weighing down the words .
I will try to lay down how my ear hears it and you can pick and choose what may or may not work.

The pellet hit your breast
and took my breath, strong start
my mind followed a rising panic if you decide to tinker with this line, "rush" rather than "rising panic" might address Leanne's concern. Or not?
of realisation, I had taken a life. I think " I had taken a life." deserves its own line. 

I had laid the breadcrumbs
hid behind the garden wall stronger if you strike "had" and "hid" then comma after "wall"
waited in silence as you landed,
lined the sight and squeezed the trigger-- this is where it gets tricky. option in red
it was all my responsibility.

Your body was still warm
as I tried to revive you some punc. needed here. your choice
soft like you were filled with water.
The colour of your beak comma
the clarity of your eyes comma
the perfect design of your feathers
all wasted by me.
I buried you in the garden
and made promises
I have kept. I was a little jarred here. It may only be because the ear is used to hearing "promises I haven't kept". Sad. I would explore the suggestion to smooth it metrically if possible.

The following year I saved
a fledgling thrush
from the mouth of a cat,
raised it on worms, maybe "him" rather than "it" here. Its more personal, and you say "he" next, so I think it would work.
set it free when the weather
turned warm, I'm resisting the urge to want more than a comma here, but have decided its enough.
gave it back your life.

He only visited the garden
a few times,
but I kept looking. could you do more with this line?
Maybe he made new friends I would consider a comma here too - for the sake of suspense - not grammar
or maybe the other birds told him
what I was really like. wonderful matter-of-fact ending

Enjoying this one very much. Thanks and good luck with it.
Paul
Edit*** The piece deserves more than the generic title. Sounds like a movie title dumbed-down for the masses.