Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BIRDS: THE HOOPOE'S CALL TO HIS WIFE PROCNE, THE NIGHTINGALE, by ARISTOPHANES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BIRDS: THE HOOPOE'S CALL TO HIS WIFE PROCNE, THE NIGHTINGALE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Dear comrade, arise, from slumber awake
Last Line: (a pipe-solo follows, representing the nightingale.)
Subject(s): Birds; Nightingales


(To his wife Procne, the nightingale)
DEAR comrade, arise, from slumber awake,
let flow the sad rapture of hallowed song;
mindful of Itys, ever-wept, sing on,
tell again old tales of your sorrow and mine.
There's a throbbing in air as the heavenly cry of your brown bright throat
travels up, flung clear through the bryony-leaf
skyward to high-throned Zeus in his heaven.
To the sorrowful sound golden Apollo
gives ear, and a sweet response strikes out
on his ivoried lute. Ranged round to his will
celestial choirs in unison chant,
giving out from lips immortal a sound
loud-voiced, of all heaven acclaiming.

(A pipe-solo follows, representing the nightingale.)





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