TAKE hold, my bird, of the cherry bough And lift thy throat to the sun, For the rainbow month is with us now, And thy building has begun. Sing in the cherry the darling breast Of the mate shall warm thy chicks When the moonlight kisses and cuddles the nest In the thorn by the two tall ricks. I love to hear thee carry the song Three octaves up at a time, For it helps my wearying heart along Better than reason or rhyme. Firm be thy faith that a sweeter wife In a bush has never sat, With her ears alert for the chirrup of life, And her eyes for the farmyard cat. Of maids I wish thee only a pair In sky-blue cabinets furled, But of sons be thine a handsomer share, To mellow with song the world! And what if the active family beak Both cherry and strawberry take? No miserly word will I ever speak, For this beautiful ballad's sake! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CALM [CALME] by JOHN DONNE AN ODE TO HIMSELF by BEN JONSON ON THE SLAIN AT CHICKAMAUGA by HERMAN MELVILLE THE ELDER'S WARNING; A LAY OF THE CONVOCATION by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN HINC LACHRIMAE; OR THE AUTHOR TO AURORA: 28 by WILLIAM BOSWORTH |