BIRDS

Birds—birds, ye are beautiful things,

With your earth-treading feet and your cloud-cleaving wings;

Where shall man wander and where shall he dwell,

Beautiful birds, that ye come not as well?

Ye have nests on the mountains, all rugged and stark;

Ye have nests in the forest, all tangled and dark;

Ye build and ye brood ’neath the cottager’s eaves,

And ye sleep on the sod ’mid the bonny green leaves.