Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SILENT TIME, by KATHARINE TYNAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SILENT TIME, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Singing of birds is over; the curlew only
Last Line: He thinks it a whistling boy coming over the hill.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hinkson, Katharine Tynan
Subject(s): Birds; Silence; Singing & Singers


SINGING of birds is over: the Curlew only
Out by the bog-pools bids his mate to beware.
Long sweet whistles under the rushes lonely
Set to listen the dew-wet ears of a hare.

Ears and eyes that turn backward. Only the plover
Pipes and is silent; the singing of birds is done;
Over the marriage-song and the song of a lover;
Over the songs to the children feathered and flown.

The wood-dove hidden in leafage mourning for ever,
Because her children are Two, only Two, only Two,
And the Wren and the Robin have Nine and Ten in the quiver.
What will she do, the soft Wood-dove? What will she do?

The Curlew calls love-calls and his mate will listen,
The Wood-dove mourns and mourns and is never still.
The hare hears; the dew on his ears a-glisten;
He thinks it a whistling boy coming over the hill.





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