Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


WHAT A BIRD TAUGHT by ALICE CARY

Poet Analysis

First Line: WHY DO YOU COME TO MY APPLE-TREE
Last Line: AND THAT IS WHY'T WAS SWEET.
Subject(s): BIRDS;

"WHY do you come to my apple-tree,
Little bird so gray?"
Twit-twit, twit-twit, twit-twit-twee!
That was all he would say.

"Why do you lock your rosy feet
So closely round the spray?"
Twit-twit, twit-twit, twit-tweet!
That was all he would say.

"Why on the topmost bough do you get,
Little bird so gray?"
Twit-twit-twee! twit-twit-twit!
That was all he would say.

"Where is your mate? come answer me,
Little bird so gray?"
Twit-twit-twit! twit-twit-twee!
That was all he would say.

"And has she little rosy feet?
And is her body gray?"
Twit-twit-twee! twit-twit-twit!
That was all he would say.

"And will she come with you and sit
In my apple-tree some day?"
Twit-twit-twee! twit-twit-twit!
He said as he flew away.

"Twit-twit! twit-twit! twit! tweet!"
Why, what in that should be
To make it seem so very sweet?
And then it came to me.

This little wilding of the wood,
With wing so gray and fleet,
Did just the best for you he could,
And that is why't was sweet.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net