BROTHER RONAIN OF THE BIRDS
Over the sea-mists and the foam,
The birds had built their island steady,
With many a trove of leaf and loam,
And sprays of coral, ripe and ruddy
The birds had built their island steady,
With many a trove of leaf and loam,
And sprays of coral, ripe and ruddy
They built it strong, they built it fair,
Moored to the rocks and time-deriding;
Thither flocked citizens of air
To make a city on land abiding.
Moored to the rocks and time-deriding;
Thither flocked citizens of air
To make a city on land abiding.
And some there settled for life because
Of sea and tempest they were weary.
The owl-folk made the equal laws
For sparrow and eagle in his eyrie.
Of sea and tempest they were weary.
The owl-folk made the equal laws
For sparrow and eagle in his eyrie.
And there tom-tit and goshawk went
In equal yoke, like brothers loving;
The vulture to the robin leant
With his old tales of war and roving.
In equal yoke, like brothers loving;
The vulture to the robin leant
With his old tales of war and roving.
Never was such a simple land,
With such a happy buzz of building,
And twigs and moss for lime and sand,
And beaks for tools the masons wielding.
With such a happy buzz of building,
And twigs and moss for lime and sand,
And beaks for tools the masons wielding.
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