 | Songs of Killarney |  |
160
SAD THRUSH.
O thrush, that pourest far and near,
From some dark bower thy passionate song,
Thou speakest sadder to my ear
To-day than all the feathered throng.
From some dark bower thy passionate song,
Thou speakest sadder to my ear
To-day than all the feathered throng.
For when, alas! in search of food
The mother bird had left her young,
With axe in hand, a woodsman rude,
I roved my leafy shades among;
The mother bird had left her young,
With axe in hand, a woodsman rude,
I roved my leafy shades among;
161
Till, cruel chance! my critic eye
Discerned a wildering beechen bough;
I heaved the sturdy steel on high,
And with three strokes I struck it through.
Discerned a wildering beechen bough;
I heaved the sturdy steel on high,
And with three strokes I struck it through.
It trembled, tottered, crashed, and fell,
And turning, tossed upon the air
Four throstles, scarce escaped the shell,
With downy breasts and pinions bare;
And turning, tossed upon the air
Four throstles, scarce escaped the shell,
With downy breasts and pinions bare;
Whilst wildly wheeling o'er their fall,
Returned, alas! one moment late,
The parent thrush, with piteous call,
Bewailed her children's cruel fate.
Returned, alas! one moment late,
The parent thrush, with piteous call,
Bewailed her children's cruel fate.
Each bird, with wafts of warmest breath,
I strove to stir to life again;
But oh! so rude the rock beneath—
All, all the little ones were slain.
I strove to stir to life again;
But oh! so rude the rock beneath—
All, all the little ones were slain.
162
In their own nest, that scarce was cold,
Their tender corses I inurned;
Then made their grave of garden mould,
And homeward melancholy turned.
Their tender corses I inurned;
Then made their grave of garden mould,
And homeward melancholy turned.
And this is why in cadence clear,
Pouring afar her passionate song,
One thrush speaks sadder to my ear
To-day than all the feathered throng.
Pouring afar her passionate song,
One thrush speaks sadder to my ear
To-day than all the feathered throng.
| Songs of Killarney | |