THE BIRDS BEFORE UNCLE SAM 109 



The Wild Canary 



1. The warblers, wrens, and vireo, 



And other little folks 

 Too busy are with beak and claw 



On nests in cosy nooks. 

 They could not come to meet at the club, 

 They sent me to see to the law. 



2. In brier, thorn, and berry bush 



We sing sweet harmony 

 Live beauty lend to herb and rush 



All spring and summer day. 

 The hawks and owls our twittering mocks, 

 As chirping we flit through the rocks. 



3. Wild Canary the children have called me, 



But the bookish and prosy bird-man 

 He dryly wrote, " Yellow Warbler," 

 I hope his prose will not stand. 

 [Boy or girl, entirely in canary yellow.] 



The Catbird 



1. To call me a Catbird is bad prosy lore, 



Call me Tanglebird rather, 'twill please me much 



more. 



I make little show, my gown is quite plain, 

 Tinsel, ribbons, and fashion in the briers are vain. 

 I'm a busy housewife and mother, you know, 

 But my song is as sweet as any bird's in the show. 



