 | In Russet & Silver |  |
44
THE WOUNDED GULL
To P. H. G., Jr.
Along a grim and granite shore
With children and with wife I went,
And in our face the stiff breeze bore
Salt savours and a samphire scent.
With children and with wife I went,
And in our face the stiff breeze bore
Salt savours and a samphire scent.
So wild the place and desolate,
That on a rock before us stood—
All upright, silent and sedate—
Of dark-grey gulls a multitude.
That on a rock before us stood—
All upright, silent and sedate—
Of dark-grey gulls a multitude.
The children could not choose but shout
To see these lovely birds so near,
Whereat they spread their pinions out,
Yet rather in surprise than fear.
To see these lovely birds so near,
Whereat they spread their pinions out,
Yet rather in surprise than fear.
45
They rose and wheeled around the cape,
They shrieked and vanished in a flock;
But lo! one solitary shape
Still sentinelled the lonely rock.
They shrieked and vanished in a flock;
But lo! one solitary shape
Still sentinelled the lonely rock.
The children laughed, and called it tame!
But ah! one dark and shrivell'd wing
Hung by its side; the gull was lame,
A suffering and deserted thing.
But ah! one dark and shrivell'd wing
Hung by its side; the gull was lame,
A suffering and deserted thing.
With painful care it downward crept;
Its eye was on the rolling sea;
Close to our very feet, it stept
Upon the wave, and then—was free.
Its eye was on the rolling sea;
Close to our very feet, it stept
Upon the wave, and then—was free.
Right out into the east it went,
Too proud, we thought, to flap or shriek;
Slowly it steered, in wonderment
To find its enemies so meek.
Too proud, we thought, to flap or shriek;
Slowly it steered, in wonderment
To find its enemies so meek.
Calmly it steered, and mortal dread
Disturbed nor crest nor glossy plume;
It could but die, and being dead,
The open sea should be its tomb.
Disturbed nor crest nor glossy plume;
It could but die, and being dead,
The open sea should be its tomb.
46
We watched it till we saw it float
Almost beyond our furthest view;
It flickered like a paper boat,
Then faded in the dazzling blue.
Almost beyond our furthest view;
It flickered like a paper boat,
Then faded in the dazzling blue.
It could but touch an English heart,
To find an English bird so brave;
Our life-blood glowed to see it start
Thus boldly on the leaguered wave;
To find an English bird so brave;
Our life-blood glowed to see it start
Thus boldly on the leaguered wave;
And we shall hold, till life departs,
For flagging days when hope grows dull,
Fresh as a spring within our hearts,
The courage of the wounded gull.
For flagging days when hope grows dull,
Fresh as a spring within our hearts,
The courage of the wounded gull.
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