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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE VACANT CAGE (1) by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER

First Line: OUR LITTLE BIRD IN HIS FULL DAY OF HEALTH
Last Line: BUT WHERE'S THE SPRAY AND FLUTTER THAT WE LOVED?
Subject(s): BIRDCAGES; BIRDS;

Our little bird in his full day of health
With his gold-coated beauty made us glad,
But when disease approached with cruel stealth,
A sadder interest our smiles forbad.
How oft we watched him, when the night hours came,
His poor head buried near his bursting heart,
Which beat within a puft, and played his part:
The seed-glass, slighted by his sickening taste,
The little moulted feathers, saffron-tipt,
The fountain, where his fever'd bill was dipt,
The perches, which his failing feet embraced,
All these remain-- not even his bath removed --
But where's the spray and flutter that we loved?



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