Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A BIRD IN HAND, by NORMAN ROWLAND GALE Poet's Biography First Line: Look at this ball of intractable fluff Last Line: Not to be plundered, delight of the air! Variant Title(s): A Bird In The Hand Subject(s): Animals; Birds; Nature | ||||||||
LOOK at this ball of intractable fluff, Panting and staring with piteous eyes! What a rebellion of heart! what a ruff Tickles my hand as the missel-thrush tries, Pecking my hand with her termagant bill, How to escape (and I love her, the sweet!) Back where the clustering oaks on the hill Climb to the blue with their branches, and meet! Nay, polished beak, you are pecking a friend! Bird of the grassland, you bleed at the wing! Stay with me, love; in captivity mend Wrong that was wrought by the boy and his sling. Would that a Priest of the Birds might arise, Wonderful words on his lips to persuade Reasoning creatures to leave to the skies Song at its purest, a-throb in the glade! Bow, woodland heart, to the yoke for a while! Soon shall the lyrics of wind in the trees Stir you to pipe in the green forest-aisle God send me there with the grass to my knees! Trusting to-day an affectionate breast Full of its duty to welcome and share, Build from the twigs of my friendship a nest Not to be plundered, Delight of the air! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INTERRUPTED MEDITATION by ROBERT HASS TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS THE FATALIST: HOME by LYN HEJINIAN WRITING IS AN AID TO MEMORY: 17 by LYN HEJINIAN LET US GATHER IN A FLOURISHING WAY by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA IN MICHAEL ROBINS?ÇÖS CLASS MINUS ONE by HICOK. BOB BREADTH. CIRCLE. DESERT. MONARCH. MONTH. WISDOM by JOHN HOLLANDER VARIATIONS: 16 by CONRAD AIKEN UNHOLY SONNET 13 by MARK JARMAN THE COUNTRY FAITH by NORMAN ROWLAND GALE |
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