TAKE hold, my bird, of the cherry bough And lift thy throat to the sun, For the rainbow month is with us now, And thy building has begun. Sing in the cherry the darling breast Of the mate shall warm thy chicks When the moonlight kisses and cuddles the nest In the thorn by the two tall ricks. I love to hear thee carry the song Three octaves up at a time, For it helps my wearying heart along Better than reason or rhyme. Firm be thy faith that a sweeter wife In a bush has never sat, With her ears alert for the chirrup of life, And her eyes for the farmyard cat. Of maids I wish thee only a pair In sky-blue cabinets furled, But of sons be thine a handsomer share, To mellow with song the world! And what if the active family beak Both cherry and strawberry take? No miserly word will I ever speak, For this beautiful ballad's sake! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE DEATH OF MRS. (NOW LADY) THROCKMORTON'S BULLFINCH by WILLIAM COWPER A CRADLE SONG by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS WILD GEESE by GEORGE LAWRENCE ANDREWS THE FELLOWSHIP by KATHARINE LEE BATES EASTER by CHARLOTTE LOUISE BERTLESEN |