The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1869-04-29
Poetry
From Harpsr's Magazine.
TO AN EARLY SWALLOW.

| ~ 41A 041A4 2 W AAAOW.
Ny little bird Of tbo air.
II thou dost know, then tell me ths sweet reason
Thou COmsst always, duly in thy season,
To build and pair.
For still we hear thee twittsring round the caves,
Ere yet the attentive cloud Of April lowers,
Up from their dsrkened hearth to call the flowers,
Where, all the rough, hard weather,
They kept together
Under their low brown roof Of Wifbered leaves.
And for moment sti1
/ Thy ever. tunefuI bill,
And tell me, and pray theo tell ne true,
II any cruel care thy bosom frets
The while thou sitteIt plOugh-ko through the air
Thy wings sWift and slim,
Turned downward, darkly dim,
Like burrows ground Of violstG
! Nay, tell me not, my swallow,
| But have thy pretty way,
! And prOspeFOnsly fellow
The leading Of the sunshins all the day,
| Thy virtuous example
Maketb my foolish questions answer ample.
It is thy large deIights keep open wide
Thy little mouth thou hast no pain to hidei
And when thou lssvest alI the gfseu-toppod woods
Pining below, and with melodious foods
ElattefeaL the neHVy ciouoss II l8s AuObS
Because, my bird, thou canst not choose but 60
Higher and ever higher
Into the purple FIRE
That lights the morning msadOEH with hearts'ease,
And sticks tbs hiIlsidss full Of primrOsss.
But tell ne, my good bird,
II thou canst tune thy tongue to any word,
Whsrswith to ansWer-pray thee tell me this;
Whore gottest thou thy song,
Still shrilling all day long,
sliYsred to fragments by its very bliss
Not, as guess,
Of any whlstling swain
wish cheek as richly russell a. the grain
sOwh in his furrOwsi nor, further guoss,
OF any sbephsrdeso,
Whose tender heart did drag
Through the dim hOlowl Of her golden iag
Aftsr faithlssI love-whils far and nsar
The waterfalls, to hear,
Clung by their whits srms to the cold deaf rocks,
And ali the unk Pt fockB
strayed idly Nay know,
II ever any loys-lorn maid did blow
On such pitiful pipe, thou di lst not get
In such sad wise thy heart to music set.
So, lower not down to me
From tie high home thy evsr-busy wing;
know right we'll thy song was shaped for thes
By His unwesrying power
Who makes the days about the Easter Rower
Like gardens round the ehaml or Of q king.
d whether. whan the sobsrin & year hath run
His briefcourss out, and thou away dost HE
To find thy pleasant sumner company,
Or whether, my brown darling of the sun,
When hrst the South, to welcome up the May
Wings wide her saffron gate,
And thou, from the uprising Of the day
IiH sventid. Il shadow round thea elos e,
POureBt thy jcyanoe over feld and wood,
AIifthy very blood
We're drawn from out the young hearts of the roses
'Tis all to celebrate
And all to praise
The careful kindness Of His gracious ways
Who builds the golden weather
So tenderly about thy houseless brood
Thy unhedged, homeless brood, and thee together.
All ! these are sweet reasons,
Ny little swimmer Of the seas of air,
Thou eOmest, gOest duly in thy seasons;
And Furthermore, that all men every where
May learn from thy enjoyment
That that which maksth life mot good and fair
Is heavenly employment.
ALICE CARY.