 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
49
DELIA and the GOLDFINCH.
“Mercy, dear Hawk!—the little flutt'rer spare,”
Cries Delia, on a daisied bank reclin'd;
“The pretty innocent Oh! do not tear,
“Nor thus pursue him with blood-hunger'd mind.
Cries Delia, on a daisied bank reclin'd;
“The pretty innocent Oh! do not tear,
“Nor thus pursue him with blood-hunger'd mind.
“See, how the tyrant downward darts the blow;—
“And see—the songster scapes by sidelong flight;—
“Now, now he's lost.—Now he eludes the foe;—
“And now the murd'rer strikes with all his might.”
“And see—the songster scapes by sidelong flight;—
“Now, now he's lost.—Now he eludes the foe;—
“And now the murd'rer strikes with all his might.”
She said—when lo! the destin'd Finch she spies,
Exhausted—by Despair and Danger prest,
Drop in the shelt'ring vale that tempting lies
Between the hillocks of her milky breast.
Exhausted—by Despair and Danger prest,
Drop in the shelt'ring vale that tempting lies
Between the hillocks of her milky breast.
Nestling, his little bosom flutt'ring beats,
With the wild throbbings of tumultuous fear;
Her pulse responsive throb for throb repeats,
And Pity mixt with Joy calls forth a tear.
With the wild throbbings of tumultuous fear;
Her pulse responsive throb for throb repeats,
And Pity mixt with Joy calls forth a tear.
“Here, sweet Musician—safe may'st thou remain,
“In Me a friendly kind protector view;
“No Cruelty did e'er this bosom stain,
“To Love and gentlest Pity ever due.
“In Me a friendly kind protector view;
“No Cruelty did e'er this bosom stain,
“To Love and gentlest Pity ever due.
“Here, sweet Musician, in this warm retreat
“Securely dwell, till Danger scud away;
“Then instant shall your wishes Freedom meet,
“To greet thy partner with thy tend'rest lay.
“Securely dwell, till Danger scud away;
“Then instant shall your wishes Freedom meet,
“To greet thy partner with thy tend'rest lay.
50
“Like this poor bird, my distant Lord may want,
“From savage Cruelty, a shelt'ring wing;
“Good Heav'n, in mercy that protection grant!
“And to these arms restor'd my Hero bring.
“From savage Cruelty, a shelt'ring wing;
“Good Heav'n, in mercy that protection grant!
“And to these arms restor'd my Hero bring.
“Ah, why wou'd Celadon for Wars alarms
“And Honor's bubble, from his Delia rove?
“Why wou'd he quit these ever-faithful arms?—
“What's Wealth—What's Honor, when compar'd to Love?
“And Honor's bubble, from his Delia rove?
“Why wou'd he quit these ever-faithful arms?—
“What's Wealth—What's Honor, when compar'd to Love?
“Fly, little Warbler—to some lonely mate
“A Celadon belov'd perhaps thou art:—
“Fly, little Warbler, e'er it is too late,
“And with thy song revive her drooping heart.”—
“A Celadon belov'd perhaps thou art:—
“Fly, little Warbler, e'er it is too late,
“And with thy song revive her drooping heart.”—
The Goldfinch freed, all gratitude, repays
Each Morn and Eve her kindness with a song;
The hills and groves resound fair Delia's praise;—
Delia—now Goddess of the Feather'd Throng.
Each Morn and Eve her kindness with a song;
The hills and groves resound fair Delia's praise;—
Delia—now Goddess of the Feather'd Throng.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |