THE deep affections of the breast, That Heaven to living things imparts, Are not exclusively possessed By human hearts. A parrot, from the Spanish Main, Full young, and early caged, came o'er With bright wings, to the bleak domain Of Mulla's shore. To spicy groves where he had won His plumage of resplendent hue, His native fruits, and skies, and sun, He bade adieu. For these he changed the smoke of turf, A heathery land and misty sky, And turned on rocks and raging surf His golden eve. But, petted, in our climate cold He lived and chattered many a day; Until with age, from green and gold His wings grew gray. At last, when blind and seeming dumb, He scolded, laughed, and spoke no more, A Spanish stranger chanced to come To Mulla's shore; He hailed the bird in Spanish speech, The bird in Spanish speech replied, Flapped round his cage with joyous screech, Dropped down, and died. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A POEM FROM BOULDER RIDGE by JAMES GALVIN IS YOUR TOWN NINEVEH? by MARIANNE MOORE ON THE WAY (PHILADELPHIA, 1794) by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON SELF-REJECTED by JEAN STARR UNTERMEYER TO BE CLOSELY WRITTEN ON A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS |