Hues protective are not thine,
So sleek thy coat each quill doth shine.
Diamond black to end of toe,
Thy counterpoint the crystal snow.
II
Never plaintive nor appealing,
Quite at home when thou art stealing,
Always groomed to tip of feather,
Calm and trim in every weather,
Morn till night my woods policing,
Every sound thy watch increasing.
Hawk and owl in tree-top hiding
Feel the shame of thy deriding.
Naught escapes thy observation,
None but dread thy accusation.
III
Hunters, prowlers, woodland lovers
Vainly seek the leafy covers.