Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MOTHER BIRD by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE

Poet Analysis

First Line: THROUGH THE GREEN TWILIGHT OF A HEDGE
Last Line: PATIENT UPON HER LONELY NEST.
Subject(s): ANIMALS;
Through the green twilight of a hedge
I peered, with cheek on the cool leaves pressed,
And spied a bird upon a nest:
Two eyes she had beseeching me
Meekly and brave, and her brown breast
Throbb'd hot and quick above her heart;
And then she opened her dagger bill, --
'Twas not the chirp that sparrows pipe
At early day; 'twas not the trill,
That falters through the quiet even;
But one sharp solitary note,
One desperate fierce and vivid cry
Of valiant tears, and hopeless joy,
One passionate note of victory.
Off, like a fool afraid, I sneaked,
Smiling the smile the fool smiles best,
At the mother bird in the secret hedge
Patient upon her lonely nest.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net