The Blue Bird and Songsters of Spring
By P. Williamson.
- Welcome, sweet bird, whose cheering note shall bring
- The first "glad tidings" of approaching spring;
- Welcome to this thy long deserted home,
- From whence rude winter forced thee far to roam.
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- Thou com'st again the lovely grove to cheer,
- And in they train the warbling choir appear;
- Thy absence left the vernal woods in gloom,
- At thy return the hills and valleys bloom.
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- Thy cheering note, ere twilight spring shall dawn,
- Break on the ear sweet as the distant horn,
- Thy presence make the verdant fields look gay,
- Ere yet bright Phoebus' tinge the flowers of May.
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- The robbin red-breast, skipping o'er the lawn,
- Waked into raptures, hails the rising morn,
- And at the evening sun's departing beam,
- Repeats new homage in his closing theme.
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- * Returning spring the swallow brings apace,
- And the house-martin, both of kindred race;
- But where they rest, or to what clime they go,
- Is more perhaps than mortals here can know.
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- ** Then comes the mock-bird, noblest of the throng!
- Columbia's native bird and prince of song,
- Melodious bird! mimic of all that sing,
- So merrily chaunting, spreads thy silvery wing;
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- And o'er the smiling landscape tireless play,
- From morn till night pour thy enchanting lay;
- The whining cat-bird comes with sportive glee,
- Who in his song is but the clown to thee.
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- And crow's fierce voice shall echo loud and shrill,
- And every night the restless whip-poor-will;
- The social wren, your house its place of rest,
- And in the porch or window builds its nest,
- Whose merry song is heard at dawning light,
- And every ear will greet it with delight.
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- The sparrow, lone, unnotic'd, ne'er shall fall,
- For he who made thee is the God of all;
- Thy feeble voice as soon his ear shall meet,
- As seraphs bright, who worship at his feet.
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- Haste, then, all songsters of the feathered throng;
- To you these animating strains belong:
- Creation haste! let one grand chorus ring,
- From earth to heaven, the jubilee of spring.
- * The place of migration of these birds is not known even to naturalists.
- ** Turdus poliglalus of America, falsely called English mocking-bird.
January 3, 1846. The Subterranean 3(32): 0 [4].