The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-01-17
MY AVIARY.
tx OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

TX OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
ThrouphHny north window, in the wintry weather.
My airy oriel on the river-shore--
watch Che sea-fowl as they flock together,
Where late the boatman dashed his dripping oar.
cTFae gull, high floating, like sloop unladen,
Eets The loose water watt him as it will;
TYae duck, round-breasted as a rustic maiden
Paddles and pIunges, busy, busy still.
see Che solemn gulls in council sitting
On some broad 5ce-foe, ponderng long and late
While overhead the homa-bound ducks fitting,
And leave the tardy eonclave in debate.
Ihose weghty que tons in their breasts revolving
Whose deeper meaning science never learns,
Till at some reverend Elders look dissolving,
The speeches. senate silently adjourns.
But when along the waves the shrAl northeaster Il
slrieks through the laboring coasters shrouds
BeWare! 5tH5 3tff Da ts8&# .36 4ff
The pale bird, kindling like Christmas feaster
When some wild chorus shakes the vinous air,
Feels heavens dumb lightning thrill his torpid
Now on the blast his whistling plumage posing,
Nov wheeling, whirling In fantastic curves.
Such ia our gun gentleman Of leisure,
Less fleshed than feathered; bagged, you'll find
him such
His virtue silence; his employment pleasure ~
Not bad to look at, and not good for much
+
What Of our duck? He has some high-bred cous-
His Grace the Canvas-back; My Lord the Brant-
ASGS and AnSer-both served up by dozens,
at Boston's Rocher, half way to Nahant.
AS for himself, he seems alert and thriving ri
Grubs up living somehow-what who knows?
Grabs2 mussels {? weeds ?--Look quick there's
one just diving!
Flop! spiash his white breast glistens--down
he goes! aa,l 49,. fr.. .,.s.4. ...
AND while he's under Just about minute
take advantage Of the fact to say
His6shy carcass has no virtue in it e.ftst
The cunning idiots worthless hire to pay.
ne knows you! "sportsnen" from suburban alleys
Stretched under eeaweed in the treacherous
punt
Knows every lazy, shift1ess Iout that sallies 0ta
Forth to waste p0wder-as he says, to 'Ehunt."
watch you with patient satisfaction,
Well pleased to discount your predestined luck ;
&he hoat that figures in your sly transaction
wan carry back goose, but not a duck.
Shrewd is our bird; not easy to outwit him
Sharp is the outlook of those pin-head eyes .~.
Still, he is mortal and a shot may hit him,
One cannot always miss him If he tries B t.
Eook there's young one, dreaming not of dan
Secs flat log come floating down the stream.
SEares undismayed upon the harmless stranger;
AN were all strangers harmless as they seem
AGbet leaden shower his breast has shattered:
Vainly he hutters, not again to rise 8t3 ~
AIS sott, white plumes along the waves are scat
Helpless the wing that braved the tempest lies.
he sees his comrades high above him flying
To seek their nests among the island reeds:
Strong is their flight; all lonely he is lying E-
Washed by the crimsoned water as he bleeds
% Thou who carest for the falling sparrow,
CanSt Thou the sinless sufferers pang forget
Or liz my dread account-book's page so narrow
Its one long column scores Thy creatures debt ?
Poor gentle guest by nature kindly cherished.
A world grows dark with thee in binding death
CINE Little gasp-thy universe has persisted
wrecked by the idle thief who stole thy breath
rs this the whole sad story of creation.
Lived by its breathing myriads DER and DER
One glimpse of day, then black annihilaton-
sunht passage to sunless shore?
Give back our faith, We mystery-solving lynxes!
tCone us once more in heaven-aspiring creeds
Happier was dreaming Egypt with her sphynxes,
The stony convent with it's cross and beads?
How often gazing where bird reposes,
ROCKED on the Wavelets, drifting with the tide
4 lose myself in strange metempsychosis
And float sea-fowl at sea-fowl's side.
From rain, hail, snow, in feathery mantle muff1ed
~U"H" CyCuS suOAS-iALAUeQ, Win KoeneSt sense to
hear
My mate soft mUrmuring, who with plumes un-
ruf1ed,
Where'er wander still is nesting near;
The great blue hollow like garment DER me.
space all unmeasured, unrecorded time:
Whllc seen with inward eye moves on before me
thoughts pictured train in wordless pantomime
"A voice recalls me.-From my window turning
ind myself plumeless biped still:
NO beak, no claws. no sign of wings Discerning
In fact. with nothing bird-hke but my quill
Atlantic Monthly.