Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE VOICE OF A BIRD, by ALICE MEYNELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE VOICE OF A BIRD, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Who then is 'he'?
Last Line: The saddest cock-crow of our human years.
Alternate Author Name(s): Meynell, Wilfrid, Mrs.; Thompson, Alice Christina
Subject(s): Birds; Poetry & Poets


"He shall rise up at the voice of a bird." -- ECCLESIASTES

WHO then is "he"?
Dante, Keats, Shakespeare, Milton, Shelley; all
Rose in their greatness at the shrill decree,
The little rousing inarticulate call.

For they stood up
At the bird-voice, of lark, of nightingale,
Drank poems from that throat as from a cup.
Over the great world's notes did these prevail.

And not alone
The signal poets woke. In listening man,
Woman, and child a poet stirs unknown,
Throughout the Mays of birds since Mays began.

He rose, he heard --
Our father, our St. Peter, in his tears --
The crowing, twice, of the prophetic bird,
The saddest cock-crow of our human years.





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