A Poem for the 13th of May, 2016

From on low I spied a songbird singing in the willow grove,

Who warbled such a serenade that with the woods I wept.

Come the dusk it flew away from the chorus that it wove.

So struck in awe and bound by spell, that night I hardly slept.

The next morning I returned to find the songbird singing,

A melody sweeter still from upon its branchy stage.

Home with me I thought, the songbird I would be bringing

So like a fool I caught that lark and stuck it in a cage.

The songs of rapture turned to bitter bouts of sullenness.

For children know that in a cage a songbird won’t even cry.

Without a peep, my songbird withered, in quiet cold distress.

So I took the cage back to the grove and let that songbird fly.

But worry not, our song goes on, we came to an accord.

Night after night I climb and perch within a willow tree.

I might even fear to fall if not for the divine reward.

For every night the songbird comes and sings a song to me.