Catbird 



Thou incarnate, wicked joy, 

 How I watched thee as a boy, 

 Mocking with thy saucy call 

 Robin, jay, kingfisher, all, 

 Picking up the varied notes 

 As they fell from feathery throats, 

 Screeching as in demon glee 

 Our astonishment to see ! 

 Ashen-coated cat-bird 



On the alder spray, 

 Mocking all thy fellows 



Through the live-long day. 



Thou highwayman of the wood, 

 Our New England Robin Hood, 

 Eating eggs thou did'st not lay, 

 Making other nests thy prey, 

 How with childish wrath we heard 

 Tales of thee, thou wicked bird, 

 Of feathered maidens in distress, 

 Longing still to make redress; 



But thou, saucy cat-bird, 

 On the alder spray, 



All our maledictions 



Mocked and jeered away! 



Oft amid the leaves descried, 

 With thy pert head cocked one side, 

 Oddly jerking thy long tail, 

 How I've heard thee jeer and rail, 

 Scolding on through all the weathers, 

 Like a Carlyle dressed in feathers; 



44 



