Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MY CATBIRD, by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE Poet's Biography First Line: Prime cantante! Last Line: He snarls, and mews, and flies. Subject(s): Catbirds | ||||||||
A CAPRICCIO PRIME cantante! Scherzo! Andante! Piano, pianissimo! Presto, prestissimo! Hark! are there nine birds or ninety and nine? And now a miraculous gurgling gushes Like nectar from Hebe's Olympian bottle, The laughter of tune from a rapturous throttle! Such melody must be a hermit-thrush's! But that other caroler, nearer, Outrivalling rivalry with clearer Sweetness incredibly fine! Is it oriole, red-bird, or blue-bird, Or some strange, un-Auduboned new bird? All one, sir, both this bird and that bird; The whole flight are all the same catbird! The whole visible and invisible choir you see On one lithe twig of yon green tree. Flitting, feathery Blondel! Listen to his rondel! To his lay romantical, To his sacred canticle. Hear him lilting! See him tilting His saucy head and tail, and fluttering While uttering All the difficult operas under the sun Just for fun; Or in tipsy revelry, Or at love devilry, Or, disdaining his divine gift and art, Like an inimitable poet Who captivates the world's heart, And don't know it. Hear him lilt! See him tilt! Then suddenly he stops, Peers about, flirts, hops, As if looking where he might gather up The wasted ecstasy just spilt From the quivering cup Of his bliss overrun. Then, as in mockery of all The tuneful spells that e'er did fall From vocal pipe, or evermore shall rise, He snarls, and mews, and flies. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CATBIRD by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS THE FOUNDERS OF OHIO by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE THE SCHOOL GIRL by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE A WELCOME TO 'BOZ' by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE BATTLE CRY by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE EL EMPLAZADO by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE JOHN FILSON by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE JOHNNY APPLESEED; A BALLAD OF THE OLD NORTHWEST by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE |
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