The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay With Illustrations by John Gilbert |
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THE OWL. |
 | The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay |  |
204
THE OWL.
I
When crisp, cold Winter binds the ground,And night's dark shades are gathering round,
When weary men sit close and warm,
And children by the ingle swarm,
And swiftly sails the icy moon,
The horned Owl begins his tune—
Tu whit! tu whoo! the merry lay
Fills all night long his turret gray
II
The horned Owl sits snugly too,When frost makes diamonds of the dew,
And through the branches bare and hard,
Like Love behind a window barr'd,
The moon looks forth with rueful mien;
He sings his song 'mid ivies green—
Tu whit! tu whoo!—a hermit old,
Whose cheerful voice defies the cold.
III
A sage and solemn bird is he;The stoic of the hollow tree,
Or watcher in the ruin'd tower,
Who reads the stars at midnight hour;
And though his note be harsh or strong,
'Tis Nature that inspires the song—
Tu whit! tu whoo!—a merry lay;
The night has mirth as well as day!
| The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay | |