Poems (Coolidge)/A Little Bird
A LITTLE BIRD
A little bird of varied hue One day within my casement fiery; Its carol was now grave, now gay,— But ofttime harsh, I grieve to say. Unheeding aught of right or wrong, I, breathless, harkened to its song, And gathered crumbs and bade it stay, So much I revelled in its lay!
And yet it chanced this little bird Some unkind thoughts within me stirred; Its sorry song I'd voice again, I cared not how, nor cared I when! All that it warbled grew and grew, Discordant with its tale of rue; Until, when dusk was shutting down, I watched it fly away to town.
A little bird! If it should fly Into thy home nest, by and by, I do entreat thee have a care,— Of all its songs shouldst thou beware! Be sure when it again has flown That thou thine idle words atone; Its name, perchance, thou canst divine, Else, vainly writ this song of mine.