Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODE TO THE CUCKOO, by MICHAEL BRUCE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODE TO THE CUCKOO, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Hail, beauteous stranger of the grove [or, wood]! / attendant on the spring!
Last Line: Companions of the spring.
Variant Title(s): To The Cuckoo
Subject(s): Birds; Cuckoos; Spring


Hail, beauteous stranger of the wood,
Attendant on the spring!
Now heaven repairs thy rural seat,
And woods thy welcome sing.

Soon as the daisy decks the green,
Thy certain voice we hear:
Hast thou a star to guide thy path,
Or mark the rolling year?

Delightful visitant! with thee
I hail the time of flowers,
When heaven is filled with music sweet
Of birds among the bowers.

The schoolboy, wandering in the wood,
To pull the flowers so gay,
Starts, thy curious voice to hear,
And imitates thy lay,

Soon as the pea puts on the bloom,
Thou fly'st thy vocal vale,
An annual guest, in other lands,
Another spring to hail.

Sweet bird! thy bower is ever green,
Thy sky is ever clear;
Thou hast no sorrow in thy song,
No winter in thy year!

Alas, sweet bird! not so my fate;
Dark scowling skies I see
Fast gathering round, and fraught with woe
And wintry years to me.

O could I fly, I'd fly with thee:
We'd make, with social wing,
Our annual visit o'er the globe,
Companions of the spring.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net