396 NOTES ON NEW ENGLAND BIRDS 



Up in the tree — the little elves — 

 With their callow family. 



One morn the wind blowed cold and strong, 

 And the leaves went whirling away ; 

 The birds prepared for their journey long 

 That raw and gusty day. 



Boreas came blust'ring down from the north, 

 And ruffled their azure smocks, 

 So they launched them forth, though somewhat loth, 

 By way of the old Cliff rocks. 



Meanwhile the earth jogged steadily on 

 In her mantle of purest white, 

 And anon another spring was born 

 When winter was vanished quite. 



And I wandered forth o'er the steamy earth, 

 And gazed at the mellow sky, 

 But never before from the hour of my birth 

 Had I wandered so thoughtfully. 



For never before was the earth so still, 

 And never so mild was the sky, 

 The river, the fields, the woods, and the hill 

 Seemed to heave an audible sigh. 



I felt that the heavens were all around, 

 And the earth was all below, 

 As when in the ears there rushes a sound 

 Which thrills you from top to toe. 



