Through the early hours of Sunday morning, Radio 4 offered the delightful sounds of the dawn chorus, from India, right across Europe, to Ireland.
This week's poems take up the theme of birdsong, with a variety of poets describing the pleasure it has given them. First is James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. No hint of the darkness of The Justified Sinner in this charming paean!
THE SKYLARK
Bird of the wilderness,
Blithesome and cumberless,
Sweet be thy matin o'er moorland and lea!
Emblem of happiness,
Blest is thy dwelling-place -
O to abide in the desert with thee!
~
Wild is thy lay and loud,
Far in the downy cloud,
Love gives it energy, love gave it birth.
Where, on thy dewy wing,
Where art thou journeying?
Thy lay is in heaven, thy love is on earth.
~
O'er fell and fountain sheen,
O'er moor and mountain green,
O'er the red streamer that heralds the day,
Over the cloudlet dim,
Over the rainbow's rim,
Musical cherub, soar, singing, away!
~
Then, when the gloaming comes,
Low in the heather blooms
Sweet will thy welcome and bed of love be!
Emblem of happiness,
Blest is thy dwelling-place -
O to abide in the desert with thee!
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