British Wonders Or, A Poetical Description of the Several Prodigies and Most Remarkable Accidents That have happen'd in Britain since the Death of Queen Anne [by Edward Ward] |
 |
 | British Wonders |  |
One Wonder more, from distant Climes
Came over, in these sinful Times,
A num'rous Flight of Foreign Birds,
With pointed Bills as sharp as Swords,
Webfooted, of the Water kind,
Were hither driven by the Wind,
And in two Columns did appear,
Like wing'd Battalions in the Air,
And shrieking loud began a Fight,
Astonishing to human sight,
Which they maintain'd, at least, an Hour,
With all the fierceness in their Pow'r:
Some falling headlong to the Ground,
Were dead upon the Surface found,
And others in the Battle maim'd,
Were taken up, not dead, but lam'd:
Like bleeding Cocks with wounded Eyes,
Still pecking, tho' too weak to rise,
Twisting their Necks about to find
The Foe that struck 'em Lame or Blind.
Thus for some time they fought together.
Tho' all seem'd Birds of the same Feather,
Till one Side had obtain'd the Laurel,
And put a Period to their Quarrel,
Then all those Civil Heats and Jars,
That kindl'd these domestick Wars
Among the Birds, that seem'd to be
Of one divided Family,
Were of a sudden at an end,
And e'ery Foe became a Friend.
Then those that did before appear
In diff'rent Armies in the Air,
Seem'd all united into one
Dark Body that eclips'd the Sun,
Hov'ring aloft, for some time a'ter,
In Friendship, without further slaughter,
Till a fresh Storm began to rise,
And blacken the transparent Skies.
Such as had driven, heretofore,
The Trojans on the Lybick Shore;
And then the Birds, by Wind and Weather,
Were blown from hence, the Lord knows whither.
So when domestick Feuds and Fears,
Set jarring Nations by the Ears,
The Parties struggle for Command,
Till one Side gains the upper-hand:
Then they who're worsted, wave their Spight,
And tamely with their Foes unite.
Came over, in these sinful Times,
A num'rous Flight of Foreign Birds,
With pointed Bills as sharp as Swords,
Webfooted, of the Water kind,
Were hither driven by the Wind,
And in two Columns did appear,
Like wing'd Battalions in the Air,
And shrieking loud began a Fight,
Astonishing to human sight,
Which they maintain'd, at least, an Hour,
With all the fierceness in their Pow'r:
Some falling headlong to the Ground,
Were dead upon the Surface found,
59
Were taken up, not dead, but lam'd:
Like bleeding Cocks with wounded Eyes,
Still pecking, tho' too weak to rise,
Twisting their Necks about to find
The Foe that struck 'em Lame or Blind.
Thus for some time they fought together.
Tho' all seem'd Birds of the same Feather,
Till one Side had obtain'd the Laurel,
And put a Period to their Quarrel,
Then all those Civil Heats and Jars,
That kindl'd these domestick Wars
Among the Birds, that seem'd to be
Of one divided Family,
Were of a sudden at an end,
And e'ery Foe became a Friend.
Then those that did before appear
In diff'rent Armies in the Air,
Seem'd all united into one
Dark Body that eclips'd the Sun,
60
In Friendship, without further slaughter,
Till a fresh Storm began to rise,
And blacken the transparent Skies.
Such as had driven, heretofore,
The Trojans on the Lybick Shore;
And then the Birds, by Wind and Weather,
Were blown from hence, the Lord knows whither.
So when domestick Feuds and Fears,
Set jarring Nations by the Ears,
The Parties struggle for Command,
Till one Side gains the upper-hand:
Then they who're worsted, wave their Spight,
And tamely with their Foes unite.
| British Wonders | |