The Making of Birds

God made Him birds in a pleasant humor;
Tired of planets and suns was He.
He said, " I will add a glory to summer,
Gifts for my creatures banished from Me! "

He had a thought and it set Him smiling,
Of the shape of a bird and its glancing head,
Its dainty air and its grace beguiling:
" I will make feathers, " the Lord God said.

He made the robin: He made the swallow;
His deft hands moulding the shape to His mood;
The thrush, the lark, and the finch to follow,
And laughed to see that His work was good.

He who has given men gift of laughter,
Made in His image; He fashioned fit
The blink of the owl and the stork thereafter,
The little wren and the long-tailed tit.

He spent in the making His wit and fancies;
The wing-feathers He fashioned them strong;
Deft and dear as daisies and pansies,
He crowned His work with the gift of song.

" Dearlings, " He said, " make songs for my praises! "
He tossed them loose to the sun and wind,
Airily sweet as pansies and daisies;
He taught them to build a nest to their mind.

The dear Lord God of His glories weary —
Christ our Lord had the heart of a boy —
Made Him birds in a moment merry,
Bade them soar and sing for his joy.
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