Classic Poem

Through the night and through the day
Runs a babbling brook away,
'Neath the hill and to the river
Through the pasture, on forever.
Shadowy playmates still I see,
Rivalling the brooklet's glee;
And the cat-bird's voice I hear,
That so piqued my childhood's ear.
Saucy, mocking cat-bird
On the alder spray,
Even now I hear thee,
Though so far away.

Thou incarnate, wicked joy,
How I watched thee as a boy, —
Mocking with thy saucy call
Robin, jay, kingfisher, all, —
Picking up the varied notes
As they fell from feathery throats,
Screeching as in demon glee
Our astonishment to see!
Ashen-coated cat-bird
On the alder spray,
Mocking all thy fellows
Through the live-long day.

Thou highwayman of the wood,
Our New England Robin Hood,
Eating eggs thou did'st not lay,
Making other nests thy prey,
How with childish wrath we heard
Tales of thee, thou wicked bird, —
Of feathered maidens in distress, —
Longing still to make redress!
But thou, saucy cat-bird
On the alder spray,
All our maledictions
Mocked and jeered away!

Oft amid the leaves descried,
With thy pert head cocked one side,
Oddly jerking thy long tail,
How I've heard thee jeer and rail,
Scolding on through all the weathers,
Like a Carlyle dressed in feathers,
Then, to mock the mockery,
Thou wouldst bubble o'er in glee.
O thou cynic cat-bird,
Mimicking mankind,
All our whims and fancies
Laughing down the wind!

Tragic, comic actor thou,
For thy stage an alder bough;
Now, some borrowed joyous note
Pouring from thy feigning throat;
Now, from wailing puss in sorrow,
Her alarm cry thou dost borrow;
Till, to us bewildered, seems
Each but fancies of our dreams.
Mimic actor, cat-bird,
Thus thy betters do,
Till 'tween good and evil
Nothing seemeth true.

Cat-bird, but I love thee still,
By the brook-side, 'neath the hill,
Laughing, mocking in the trees,
Feathered Mephistopheles;
Playing out thy varied part,
Mirroring the human heart;
Fretting, scolding, scornful, then
Bursting out in joy again!
Good and evil cat-bird
On the alder spray,
Like thy contradictions
Run our lives away.