Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO A SINGING BIRD by PHILIP AYRES

First Line: DEAR PRISON'D BIRD, HOW DO THE STARS COMBINE
Last Line: THOU LIV'ST BY SINGING, I BY SINGING DIE.
Subject(s): BIRDS;
DEAR prison'd Bird, how do the stars combine
To make my am'rous state resemble thine?
Thou, happy thou! dost sing, and so do I,
Yet both of us have lost our liberty;
For him thou sing'st who captive thee detains,
And I for her who makes me wear her chains:
But I, alas, this disproportion find,
Thou for delight, I sing to ease my mind:
Thy heart's exalted, mine depress'd does lie;
Thou liv'st by singing, I by singing die.



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