The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-31
MY AVIARY,



Through my north window in the wintry weather.
My airy oriel on the river-shore-
| watch the sea-fowl as they flock togethe
Where late the boatman flashed his dripping oar.
The gull, high floating, like sloop unladen,
Lets the loose water watt him IS it will:
The duck, rouud-breasted as a rustic NJ iden
Paddles ana plunges, busy, busy still.
see the solemn gulls in council sitting
On some broad lce-hoe, pondering long and late,
+" "hile overhead the home-bound ducks are hittinp
And leave the tardy conclaye in debate.
Those weighty que tons in their breasts revolving
whose deeper meaning science never learns,
TIL at some reverend Elders look dissoIving,
The speechless senate silently adjourns.
But when along the waves the shrin northeaster
Shr1eks through the laboring coasters shrouds
q Beware ?,
The pale bird, kindling like Christmas feaster
When sOIne wild chorus shakes the vinous air,
Flaps from the leaden wave in fierce rejoicing,
Feels heavens dumb lightning thrill his torpid
Now on the blast his whistling plurnage poising.
Now wheeling, whfrling in fantastic curves.
Such is our gull; gentleman of leisure,
Less heshed than feathered; bsgged, you'll find
His virtue silence; his employment pleasure;
Not bad to look st, and not good for much.
What of our duck? He has hjgh-bred cous-
His Grace the Canvas-back, My Lord the Brant-
AnaS and Anser-both served up by dozens,
At Boston's Rocher, half way to Nahant.
Grubs up living somehow-what. who knows
Crabs? mussels? weeds7-Look quickl there's
Flop! Splash his white breast glistens-down
he goes
And while he's under-just about minute
take advantage of the fact to say
His hshy carcass has virtue in it
The cunning idiots worthless hire to pay.
He knows you! "sportsmen" from suburban alleys,
Stretched under seaweed in the treacherous
punt;
Knows every lazy shiftless iout that ealIies
Forth to waste powder-as he says, to ''hunt."
watch you with patient satisfaction,
Well pleased to discount your predest1ned luck :;
The foat that figures in your ely transaction
VIII carry back gooEe, but not duck.
shrewd is our bird; not easy to outwit him
Still, he IS mortal and shot may hit him,
One cannot always miss him if he tries.
Look! there's young one, dreaming not of dan
Sees fiat log come floating down the stream,
Stares undismayed upon the harmless stranger:
All! were all strangers harmless they seem !
Habeti leaden shower his breast has shattered:
Valnly he futters, not again to rise;
bis soft, white plumes along the waves are scat-
Helpless the wing that braved the ten,pest lies.
he sees his comrades high above him flying
To seek their nests amopg he island reeds:
Strong is their fight; all lonely he is lying
Washed by the crinlscned water as he bleeds.
o Thou tho carest for the falling sparrow
Canst Thou the sinless sufferers pang forget
Or is Thy dread account-book's page SO narrow
Its one long column scores Thy creatures debt
Poor gentle guest by nature kindly cherished,
world grows dark with thee in binding death /;
One little gasp-thy universe has perished
Wrecked by the idle thief who stole thy breath !
Is this the whole sad story OF creation,
Lived by its breathing Iayriads DER and DER
One glimpse of day, then black anrihilation-
sunllt passage to sunless shore?
Give back our faith, We mystery-solving lynxes!
Robe us o. ce more in heayen-aspiring creeds
Happier was dreaming Egypt with her sphynxes,
The stony convent with its cross and beads?
How often gazing where bird reposes,
Rocked on the wavelets drifting with the tide,
[ lose myself in strange metempsy Ghosts
And float q sea-fowl at sea-fowI's side.
From rain, hail, snow, in feathery mantle mufied
Clear eyed, strong-hmbed, with keenest sense to
hear
Ny mate soft murmuring, who with plumes u1,-
ruflied,
whe-e'er 1 wander still is nesting near;
The great bise hollow like garment DER me;
Space all unmeasured, unrecorded time;
While seen with inward eye moves on before me
Thoughts pictured train IN wordless pantomime
"A voice recalls me.-Frcm my window turning
find myself plumeless bped still;
No beak. TO claws. sign of wings discerning
In fact with nothing bird-like but my quill
-Aaa',tic Monthly.