 | Snow-berries. A book for young folks |  |
160
ONLY A DREAM.
“The flighty purpose never is o'ertook,
Unless the deed go with it.”
Unless the deed go with it.”
One time, when lying in my bed,
Many a night ago,
Flying and flapping over my head,
There went a cunning crow.
I might have struck the creature dead,
She sailed so near and slow.
Many a night ago,
Flying and flapping over my head,
There went a cunning crow.
I might have struck the creature dead,
She sailed so near and slow.
I might have struck her as she went,
(All in a dream lay I,)
But thought was on the method bent,
My fated bird should die;
And when at last the shaft was sent,
The archer's time was by.
(All in a dream lay I,)
But thought was on the method bent,
My fated bird should die;
And when at last the shaft was sent,
The archer's time was by.
“O cruel, cunning bird,” I said,
“What made you fly away?
I would have dyed your black wings red,
With but a moment's stay.
Then you had flown without your head,”—
(All in a dream I lay.)
“What made you fly away?
I would have dyed your black wings red,
With but a moment's stay.
Then you had flown without your head,”—
(All in a dream I lay.)
Her nest was in a giant tree,
So safe and snug and high;
And I said, “If there your young ones be,
I'll kill them when they fly.”
'T was hard just then to climb and see,—
(All in a dream lay I.)
So safe and snug and high;
And I said, “If there your young ones be,
I'll kill them when they fly.”
161
(All in a dream lay I.)
Afield with my two boys one morn,
(This was the vision's close,)
Each with a basket full of corn
To plant the furrowed rows;
Right over us, in full-fledged scorn,
There went three wicked crows.
(This was the vision's close,)
Each with a basket full of corn
To plant the furrowed rows;
Right over us, in full-fledged scorn,
There went three wicked crows.
“You might have killed us once,” they cried,
“Our mother's nest you knew;
But now our wings are strong and wide,
And we can caw at you!”
Then vanished all my manhood's pride,—
The birds had spoken true.
“Our mother's nest you knew;
But now our wings are strong and wide,
And we can caw at you!”
Then vanished all my manhood's pride,—
The birds had spoken true.
“O father,” said my boys to me,
“'T is plain that crows will lie;
You knew what they would grow to be,
Before they learned to fly,
And would have killed them in the tree,”—
(All in a dream lay I.)
“'T is plain that crows will lie;
You knew what they would grow to be,
Before they learned to fly,
And would have killed them in the tree,”—
(All in a dream lay I.)
Many and many a night since then
I've called to mind that crow,
And thought how many thousand men
Through all their lifetime go,
Planning out times and seasons when
They will do thus and so;
I've called to mind that crow,
And thought how many thousand men
Through all their lifetime go,
Planning out times and seasons when
They will do thus and so;
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But all their joys are shallow joys,
Their praise augments their woes;
For I remember when my boys
Denounced the taunting crows,
A voice inside of all their noise,
Condemning me, arose.
Their praise augments their woes;
For I remember when my boys
Denounced the taunting crows,
A voice inside of all their noise,
Condemning me, arose.
| Snow-berries. A book for young folks | |