Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO A WOOD-PIGEON, by DAVID MACBETH MOIR Poet's Biography First Line: Have I scared thee from thy bough Last Line: Murmurs night and day! Alternate Author Name(s): Delta Subject(s): Birds; Doves; Forests; Hunting; Wings; Woods; Hunters | ||||||||
I. HAVE I scared thee from thy bough, Tenant of the lonely wild, Where, from human face exiled, 'Tis thine the sky to plough; Hearing but the wailing breeze, Or the cataract's sullen roaring, Where, 'mid clumps of ancient trees, O'er its rocks the stream is pouring? Up on ready wing thou rushest To the gloom of woods profound, And through silent ether brushest With a whirring sound. II. Ring-dove beauteous! is the face Of man so hateful, that his sight Startles thee in wild affright, From beechen resting-place? Time was once, when sacrifice, Served by blue-eyed Druids hoary, Smoked beneath the woodland skies O'er their human victims gory; And time hath been when veil'd Religion Bade the calm-brow'd Hermit roam, Seeking, with the lark and pigeon, Guilt-untroubled home. III. Truly 'twas an erring choice If (as Reason says) be given Earth, preparative for Heaven, And calm, unclouded joys. Nobler far 'tis sure to brave Every barrier which retards us, Than, to craven fear a slave, Flee the path that Fate awards us: He, from duty never altering, Who, with Faith's heroic ken, Forward treads with step unfaltering, Is the man of men! IV. Surely pleasant life is thine, Underneath the shining day; Thus from sorrow far away, 'Mid bowering groves to pine To pine in wild, luxurious love, With thy cooing partner near thee; Flowers below, and boughs above, And nought around to fear thee; While thy bill so gently carries To thy young, from field or wood, Seeds, or fruits, or purple berries, For their slender food. V. In sequester'd haunts like thine, Where, in solitude, the trees Blossom to the sun and breeze, Worth has loved to shine; And ardent Genius structured high Her magic piles of bright invention, Achieving immortality, And sharing not in Time's declension: Glorious task, that nobly smothers Earthward cravings, power and pelf, Scorning, in proud zeal for others, Every thought of self. VI. Time was once, when Man, like thee, In the forest made his home, Near the river's yellow foam, Beneath the spreading tree. Cities then were not: he dwelt In the cavern's twilight chamber; And in adoration knelt, When the morn with clouds of amber, Or the wild birds singing round him, Bade him to the chase arise; Then with quiver'd shafts he bound him 'Neath the opal skies. VII. Rapidly thou wing'st away I saw thee now, a tiny spot Againand now I see thee not Nought save the skies of day. The Psalmist once his prayer address'd "Dove, could I thy pinions borrow, My soul would flee, and be at rest, Far from Earth's oppressing sorrow!" Alas! we turn to brave the billows Of the world's tempestuous sway, Where Life's stream, beneath Care's willows, Murmurs night and day! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LAMENT OF QUARRY by LEONIE ADAMS KILLDEER by KENNETH SLADE ALLING THE YOUNG FOWLER THAT MISTOOK HIS GAME by PHILIP AYRES A POEM ABOUT THE HOUNDS AND THE HARES by LISEL MUELLER THE RUSTIC LAD'S LAMENT IN THE TOWN by DAVID MACBETH MOIR |
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