Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NIGHTINGALE, by KATHARINE TYNAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NIGHTINGALE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The speckled bird sings in the tree
Alternate Author Name(s): Hinkson, Katharine Tynan
Subject(s): Birds; Nightingales


The speckled bird sings in the tree
The speckled bird sings in the tree
When all the stars are silver-pale.
When all the stars are silver-pale.
Come, children, walk the night with me,
Come, children, walk the night with me,
And we shall hear the nightingale.
And we shall hear the nightingale.




The nightingale is a shy bird,
The nightingale is a shy bird,
He flits before you through the night.
He flits before you through the night.
And now the sleepy vale is stirred
And now the sleepy vale is stirred
Through all its green and gold and white.
Through all its green and gold and white.




The moon leans from her place to hear,
The moon leans from her place to hear,
The stars shed golden star-dust down,
The stars shed golden star-dust down,
For now comes in the sweet o' the year,
For now comes in the sweet o' the year,
The country's gotten the greenest gown.
The country's gotten the greenest gown.




The blackbird turns upon his bed,
The blackbird turns upon his bed,
The thrush has oped a sleeping eye,
The thrush has oped a sleeping eye,
Quiet each downy sleepy-head;
Quiet each downy sleepy-head;
But who goes singing up the sky?
But who goes singing up the sky?




It is, it is the nightingale,
It is, it is the nightingale,
In the tall tree upon the hill.
In the tall tree upon the hill.
To moonlight and the dewy vale
To moonlight and the dewy vale
The nightingale will sing his fill.
The nightingale will sing his fill.




He's but a homely, speckled bird,
He's but a homely, speckled bird,
But he has gotten a golden flute,
But he has gotten a golden flute,
And when his wondrous song is heard,
And when his wondrous song is heard,
Blackbird and thrush and lark are mute.
Blackbird and thrush and lark are mute.




Troop, children dear, out to the night,
Troop, children dear, out to the night,
Clad in the moonlight silver-pale,
Clad in the moonlight silver-pale,
And in the world of green and white
And in the world of green and white
'Tis you shall hear the nightingale.
'Tis you shall hear the nightingale.








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