 | Plays and poems |  |
369
III.
THE TWO BIRDS.
Two birds hang from two facing windows:
One on a lady's marble wall;
The other, a seamstress' sole companion,
Rests on her lattice dark and small.
One on a lady's marble wall;
The other, a seamstress' sole companion,
Rests on her lattice dark and small.
The one, embowered by rare exotics,
Swings in a curious golden cage;
The other, beside a lone geranium,
Peeps between wires of rusty age.
Swings in a curious golden cage;
The other, beside a lone geranium,
Peeps between wires of rusty age.
The one consumes a dainty seedling,
That, leagues on leagues, in vessels comes;
The other pecks at the scanty leavings
Strained from his mistress' painful crumbs.
That, leagues on leagues, in vessels comes;
The other pecks at the scanty leavings
Strained from his mistress' painful crumbs.
The lady's bird has careful lackeys,
To place him in the cheerful sun;
Upon her bird the seamstress glances,
Between each stitch, till work is done.
To place him in the cheerful sun;
Upon her bird the seamstress glances,
Between each stitch, till work is done.
Doubtless the marble wall shines gayly,
And sometimes to the window roam
Guests in their stately silken garments;
But yon small blind looks more like home.
And sometimes to the window roam
Guests in their stately silken garments;
But yon small blind looks more like home.
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Doubtless the tropic flowers are dazzling,
The golden cage is rare to see;
But sweeter smells the low geranium,
The mean cage has more liberty.
The golden cage is rare to see;
But sweeter smells the low geranium,
The mean cage has more liberty.
'T is well to feed upon the fruitage
Brought from a distant southern grove;
But better is a homely offering,
Divided by the hand of love.
Brought from a distant southern grove;
But better is a homely offering,
Divided by the hand of love.
The purchased service of a menial
May, to the letter, fill its part;
But there 's an overflowing kindness
Springs from the service of a heart.
May, to the letter, fill its part;
But there 's an overflowing kindness
Springs from the service of a heart.
Hark! yonder bird begins to warble:
Well done, my lady's pretty pet!
Thy song is somewhat faint and straitened,
Yet sweeter tones I 've seldom met.
Well done, my lady's pretty pet!
Thy song is somewhat faint and straitened,
Yet sweeter tones I 've seldom met.
And now the seamstress' bird.—O, listen!
Hear with what power his daring song
Sweeps through its musical divisions,
With skill assured, with rapture strong!
Hear with what power his daring song
Sweeps through its musical divisions,
With skill assured, with rapture strong!
Hear how he trills; with what abundance
He flings his varied stores away;
Bursting through wood and woven iron
With the wild freedom of his lay!
He flings his varied stores away;
Bursting through wood and woven iron
With the wild freedom of his lay!
Cease, little prisoner to the lady,
Cease, till the rising of the moon;
Thy feeble song is all unsuited
To the full midday glare of June.
Cease, till the rising of the moon;
Thy feeble song is all unsuited
To the full midday glare of June.
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Cease, for thy rival's throat is throbbing
With the fierce splendor of the hour;
His is the art that grasps a passion,
To cast it back with ten-fold power.
With the fierce splendor of the hour;
His is the art that grasps a passion,
To cast it back with ten-fold power.
Cease, until yonder feathered poet
Through all his wondrous song has run,
And made the heart of wide creation
Leap in the glory of the sun.
Through all his wondrous song has run,
And made the heart of wide creation
Leap in the glory of the sun.
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