Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CURLEW SONG, by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL Poet's Biography First Line: The viewless blast flies moaning past Last Line: The shrieks of the wild curlew! Subject(s): Birds; Curlews | ||||||||
The viewless blast flies moaning past, Away to the forest trees, Where giant pines and leafless vines Bend 'neath the wandering breeze! From ferny streams, unearthly screams Are heard in the midnight blue; As afar they roam to the shepherd's home, The shrieks of the wild Curlew! As afar they roam To the shepherd's home, The shrieks of the wild Curlew! The mists are curled o'er a dark-faced world, And the shadows sleep around, Where the clear lagoon reflects the moon In her hazy glory crowned; While dingoes howl, and wake the growl Of the watchdog brave and true; Whose loud, rough bark shoots up in the dark, With the song of the lone Curlew! Whose loud, rough bark Shoots up in the dark, With the song of the lone Curlew! Near herby banks the dark green ranks Of the rushes stoop to drink; And the ripples chime, in a measured time, On the smooth and mossy brink; As wind-breaths sigh, and pass, and die, To start from the swamps anew, And join again o'er ridge and plain With the wails of the sad Curlew! And join again O'er ridge and plain With the wails of the sad Curlew! The clouds are thrown around the cone Of the mountain bare and high, (Whose craggy peak uprears to the cheek -- To the face of the sombre sky) When down beneath the foggy wreath, Full many a gully through, They rend the air, like cries of despair, The screams of the wild Curlew! They rend the air, Like cries of despair, The screams of the wild Curlew! The viewless blast flies moaning past, Away to the forest trees; Where giant pines and leafless vines Bend 'neath the wandering breeze! From ferny streams, unearthly screams Are heard in the midnight blue; As afar they roam to the shepherd's home, The shrieks of the wild Curlew! As afar they roam To the shepherd's home, The shrieks of the wild Curlew! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONNET TO THE CURLEW by HELEN MARIA WILLIAMS A DEATH IN THE BUSH by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL A HYDE PARK LARRIKIN by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL A SPANISH LOVE SONG by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL ACHAN by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL AFTER MANY YEARS by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL AFTER THE HUNT by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL AILEEN by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL AMONGST THE ROSES by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL ARAKOON by HENRY CLARENCE KENDALL |
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