Page 16 - Poetry-Animals

Pairing-Time Anticipated: A Fable

I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau*
If birds confabulate or no;
‘Tis clear that they were always able
To hold discourse, at least in fable;
And even the child who knows no better
Than to interpret by the letter
A story of a cock and bull
Must have a most uncommon skull.
It chanced, then, on a winter’s day,
But warm and bright and calm as May,
The birds, conceiving a design
To forestall sweet St. Valentine,
In many an orchard, copse, and grove,
Assembled on affairs of love,
And with much twitter and much chatter
Began to agitate the matter.
At length a bullfinch, who could boast
More years and wisdom than the most,
Entreated, opening wide his beak,
A moment’s liberty to speak;
And silence publicly enjoined,
Delivered briefly then his mind:
“My friends! Be cautious how ye treat
The subject upon which we meet;
I fear we shall have winter yet.”
A finch, whose tongue knew no control,
With golden wing and satin poll,
A last year’s bird, who ne’er had tried
What marriage means, thus pert replied:
Methinks the gentleman,” quoth she,
“Opposite in the apple tree,
By his good will would keep us single
Till yonder heaven and earth shall mingle;
Or (which is likelier to befall)
Till death exterminate us all.
I marry without more ado;
My dear Dick Redcap, what say you?”
Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling,
Turning short round, strutting and sideling,

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