 | Birds and flowers and other country things |  |
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BIRDS.
Oh, the sunny summer time!
Oh, the leafy summer time!
Merry is the bird's life,
When the year is in its prime!
Birds are by the water-falls
Dashing in the rainbow-spray;
Everywhere, everywhere
Light and lovely there are they!
Birds are in the forest old,
Building in each hoary tree;
Birds are on the green hills;
Birds are by the sea!
Oh, the leafy summer time!
Merry is the bird's life,
When the year is in its prime!
Birds are by the water-falls
Dashing in the rainbow-spray;
Everywhere, everywhere
Light and lovely there are they!
Birds are in the forest old,
Building in each hoary tree;
Birds are on the green hills;
Birds are by the sea!
On the moor, and in the fen,
'Mong the wortle-berries green;
In the yellow furze-bush
There the joyous bird is seen;
In the heather on the hill;
All among the mountain thyme;
By the little brook-sides,
Where the sparkling waters chime;
In the crag; and on the peak,
Splintered, savage, wild, and bare,
There the bird with wild wing
Wheeleth through the air.
'Mong the wortle-berries green;
In the yellow furze-bush
There the joyous bird is seen;
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All among the mountain thyme;
By the little brook-sides,
Where the sparkling waters chime;
In the crag; and on the peak,
Splintered, savage, wild, and bare,
There the bird with wild wing
Wheeleth through the air.
Wheeleth through the breezy air,
Singing, screaming in his flight,
Calling to his bird-mate,
In a troubleless delight!
In the green and leafy wood,
Where the branching ferns up-curl,
Soon as is the dawning,
Wakes the mavis and the merle;
Wakes the cuckoo on the bough;
Wakes the jay with ruddy breast;
Wakes the mother ring-dove
Brooding on her nest!
Singing, screaming in his flight,
Calling to his bird-mate,
In a troubleless delight!
In the green and leafy wood,
Where the branching ferns up-curl,
Soon as is the dawning,
Wakes the mavis and the merle;
Wakes the cuckoo on the bough;
Wakes the jay with ruddy breast;
Wakes the mother ring-dove
Brooding on her nest!
Oh, the sunny summer time!
Oh, the leafy summer time!
Merry is the bird's life
When the year is in its prime!
Some are strong and some are weak;
Some love day and some love night;—
But whate'er a bird is,
Whate'er loves—it has delight,
In the joyous song it sings;
In the liquid air it cleaves;
In the sunshine; in the shower;
In the nest it weaves!
Oh, the leafy summer time!
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When the year is in its prime!
Some are strong and some are weak;
Some love day and some love night;—
But whate'er a bird is,
Whate'er loves—it has delight,
In the joyous song it sings;
In the liquid air it cleaves;
In the sunshine; in the shower;
In the nest it weaves!
Do we wake; or do we sleep;
Go our fancies in a crowd
After many a dull care,—
Birds are singing loud!
Sing then linnet; sing then wren;
Merle and mavis sing your fill;
And thou, rapturous skylark,
Sing and soar up from the hill!
Sing, oh, nightingale, and pour
Out for us sweet fancies new!—
Singing thus for us, birds,
We will sing of you!
Go our fancies in a crowd
After many a dull care,—
Birds are singing loud!
Sing then linnet; sing then wren;
Merle and mavis sing your fill;
And thou, rapturous skylark,
Sing and soar up from the hill!
Sing, oh, nightingale, and pour
Out for us sweet fancies new!—
Singing thus for us, birds,
We will sing of you!
| Birds and flowers and other country things | |