No man had ever heard a nightingale, When once a keen-eyed naturalist was stirred To study and define -- what is a bird, To classify by rote and book, nor fail To mark its structure and to note the scale Whereon its song might possibly be heard. Thus far, no farther; -- so he spake the word. When of a sudden, -- hark, the nightingale! Oh deeper, higher than he could divine That all-unearthly, untaught strain! He saw The plain, brown warbler, unabashed. "Not mine" (He cried) "the error of this fatal flaw. No bird is this, it soars beyond my line, Were it a bird, 'twould answer to my law. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SPIRES OF OXFORD by WINIFRED MARY LETTS TO THE PENDING YEAR by WALT WHITMAN THE ART OF PRESERVING HEALTH: BOOK 2. ADVICE TO THE STOUT by JOHN ARMSTRONG NOT TO BE MINISTERED TO by MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK SONNET TO CHARLOTTE M-- by BERNARD BARTON EDGE OF THE DAY by BURL BREDON |