National Lyrics, and Songs for Music/The lonely Bird
THE LONELY BIRD.
From a ruin thou art singing,
Oh! lonely, lonely bird!
The soft blue air is ringing,
By thy summer music stirr'd;
But all is dark and cold beneath,
Where harps no more are heard:
Whence winn'st thou that exulting breath,
Oh! lonely, lonely bird?
Thy song flows richly swelling,
To a triumph of glad sounds,
As from its cavern dwelling
A stream in glory bounds!
Tho' the castle echoes catch no tone
Of human step or word,
Tho' the fires be quenched and the feasting done,
Oh! lonely, lonely bird!
How can that flood of gladness
Rush thro' thy fiery lay,
From the haunted place of sadness,
From the bosom of decay?
While dirge-notes in the breeze's moan,
Thro' the ivy garlands heard,
Come blent with thy rejoicing tone,
Oh! lonely, lonely bird!
There's many a heart, wild singer,
Like thy forsaken tower,
Where joy no more may linger,
Where love hath left his bower:
And there's many a spirit e'en like thee,
To mirth as lightly stirr'd,
Tho' it soar from ruins in its glee,
Oh! lonely, lonely bird!