Time to Hear (Birdsong)
The bird calls to protect the earth
She sings under the kitchen roof
In a magical, hypnotic trill
In quiet crystal notes of truth
Even if we cannot name the bird
We can set our day's concerns aside
None of us are innocent now
Of making it harder for wings to fly
Are we to say which of the species
Among us are worth less or more
A birdsong calls to protect the earth
It is in our power, to act for her
It's time to care while hope is there
It's time to hear before hope is lost
Birdsong calls to heal the earth
To repair what damage can be reversed.
A blue note sounds and we give pause
A new note skims across the earth
The bird calls us to tend her roof
While our neglect can be reversed.
[with thanks and acknowledgment to letter-writers in the New York Times: Jeff Fischer, Matthew Schenker and Paul Smaldino]
poem by Frank Bana
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Related quotes
Sonnet LV.
BORNE on the warm wing of the western gale,
How tremulously low is heard to float
Thro' the green budding thorns that fringe the vale
The early Nightingale's prelusive note.
'Tis Hope's instinctive power that through the grove
Tells how benignant Heaven revives the earth;
'Tis the soft voice of young and timid love
That calls these melting sounds of sweetness forth.
With transport, once, sweet bird! I hail'd thy lay,
And bade thee welcome to our shades again,
To charm the wandering poet's pensive way
And soothe the solitary lover's pain;
But now!--such evils in my lot combine,
As shut my languid sense--to Hope's dear voice and thine!
poem by Charlotte Smith
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Bird's Wish
The bird asks me
What I’d do
If I am a bird.
I tell him
High and high I’d soar
So high that I’d see the earth no more
I’d be a bird on the tree
I’d be a bird that’s free!
What you’d do bird
If you’re a man?
To be fair
It’d be my only prayer to God
Don’t be so hard
Make me once again a bird!
Saying this the bird sings
And spreads its wings to a sky
I can never fly!
poem by Pradip Chattopadhyay
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Birdsong
The morning air suddenly comes alive,
With beautiful birdsong, in bursts of five.
Sometimes, there are bursts of seven or six,
To add a dash of variety, to the musical mix.
From other birds, there is no competition;
To sing the best, this bird is on a mission.
He sings his song loudly, and crystal clear;
Sat way up high in the tree, he feels no fear.
To his heart’s content, the little bird sings;
Joy, to nearby shoppers, his sweet song brings.
I hear the shrill trill of a nearby burglar alarm;
Compared to the bird’s trill, it holds no charm.
Hearing his call, really brightens up my day,
As I pass him by, and go steadily on my way.
Some people are too busy to notice his call;
Upon their deaf ears, his pretty voice falls.
In the natural world, there’s beauty to be found;
You need only to listen, and look all around.
If you just take your time; if you do not rush,
You will find beauty aplenty in the relative hush.
Listen to the birds singing, way up in the trees;
Their voices are carried upon the winter breeze.
By such sights and sounds, you will be thrilled;
With nature’s beauty, your senses will be filled.
poem by Angela Wybrow
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Allurement
FROM yonder hedge, from yonder spray,
He calls me onward and away.
Broad lies the world and fair to see;
The cuckoo calls—is calling me.
I have not seen or heard of Care,
Who used my very bed to share,
Since that first morn, when airily
The cuckoo, calling, called to me.
My sweetheart's face? I have forgot.
My mother? But she calls me not.
From the sweet bank, from the dim lea,
The cuckoo calls—is calling me.
And I must go—I may not choose;
No gain there is, nor aught to lose;
And soon—say, now—on some wild tree,
The bird sits long and waits for me.
poem by Margaret Steele Anderson
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Don’t Give Up in Protecting the Mother Earth
Don’t Give Up in Protecting the Mother Earth
My son… Look at how you managed
To protect the Mother Earth in the past
When you were younger
You stood up
With your head up
Against all the odds
You managed to protect the Mother Earth then
When many people were ignorant of
The Mother Earth’s feelings
So why are you afraid now
This time
The public opinion is in your side
So why are you loosing faith
Mother Earth needs your protection and care
Don’t give up
Take the first step
And
Everything else will follow
So my son
Don’t give up in protecting the Mother Earth
poem by Frederick Kambemba Yamusangie
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When The Bird Calls…
When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls,
With a throbbing heart you wait
For the spell – the magic words…
And you, all strewed up with sparks,
Start to seek the guelder-rose in dells,
Your heart can’t bear any longer
The grief, and the buttoned up dress…
When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls,
The earth, bursting into laughter,
Spreads to you, like carpets, the roads…
The wind with the flock of sparrows
Disperses your winter sorrows,
And makes you sing out
The rose-colored dreams…
When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls…When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls,
With a throbbing heart you wait
For the spell – the magic words…
And you, all strewed up with sparks,
Start to seek the guelder-rose in dells,
Your heart can’t bear any longer
The grief, and the buttoned up dress…
When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls,
The earth, bursting into laughter,
Spreads to you, like carpets, the roads…
The wind with the flock of sparrows
Disperses your winter sorrows,
And makes you sing out
The rose-colored dreams…
When, from the blossoming apple-tree,
The singing bird calls…
WHEN THE BIRD CALLS… ( II)
From the blossoming apple-tree,
When, the singing bird calls,
You wait with a throbbing heart
For the spell – the magic words…
And you, all strewed up with sparks,
Start to seek the guelder -rose in dells,
Your heart can’t bear any longer
The grief, and the buttoned up dress…
From the blossoming apple-tree,
When, the singing bird calls,
The earth, bursting into laughter,
Spreads to you, like carpets, the roads…
The wind with the flock of sparrows
Disperses your winter sorrows,
And makes you sing out
The rose-colored dreams…
When, from blossoming apple-tree,
poem by Tsira Gogeshvili
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Olney Hymn 14: Jehovah-Shammah
As birds their infant brood protect,
And spread their wings to shelter them,
Thus saith the Lord to His elect,
'So will I guard Jerusalem.'
And what then is Jerusalem,
This darling object of His cares?
Where is its worth in God's esteem?
Who built it? who inhabits there?
Jehovah founded it in blood,
The blood of His incarnate Son;
There dwell the saints, once foes to God
The sinners whom He calls His own.
There, though besieged on every side,
Yet much beloved and guarded well,
From age to age they have defied
The utmost force of earth and hell.
Let earth repent, and hell despair,
This city has a sure defence;
Her name is call'd, 'The Lord is there,'
And who has power to drive him hence?
poem by William Cowper
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This Little Bird
John d loudermilk
Theres a little bird that somebody sends
Down to the earth to live on the wind.
Born on the wind and he sleeps on the wind
This little bird that somebody sends.
Hes light and fragile and feathered sky blue,
So thin and graceful the sun shines through.
This little bird who lives on the wind,
This little bird that somebody sends.
He flies so high up in the sky
Out of reach of human eye.
And the only time that he touches the ground
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird dies.
song performed by by Roy Orbison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When Love Calls Your Name
You can cover your eyes
And hide behind walls
Youve built around you
You can run for your life
Anytime theres a chance of
Someone breaking through
But sooner or later it comes to us all
And even the strongest must fall
Chorus:
When love calls your name
Theres no saying no
You follow your heart wherever it goes
To the ends of the earth
For the rest of your days
Whatever it takes yeah youll find a way
Through fire and rain
When love calls your name
Now I see a light
And it keeps getting brighter
And shows me the way
And its there in your eyes
Pulling me closer everyday
After all of this time
The tables have turned
Yes, Im finally ready to learn
Chorus
You do what you must
You take it on faith
You take it on trust
Youre out of control
And all that you know
Your worlds not the same
When love calls your name
Chorus
When love calls your name
song performed by by Cher
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Jehovah-Shammah
(Ezekiel, xlviii.35)
As birds their infant brood protect,
And spread their wings to shelter them,
Thus saith the Lord to His elect,
"So will I guard Jerusalem."
And what then is Jerusalem,
This darling object of His cares?
Where is its worth in God's esteem?
Who built it? who inhabits there?
Jehovah founded it in blood,
The blood of His incarnate Son;
There dwell the saints, once foes to God
The sinners whom He calls His own.
There, though besieged on every side,
Yet much beloved and guarded well,
From age to age they have defied
The utmost force of earth and hell.
Let earth repent, and hell despair,
This city has a sure defence;
Her name is call'd, "The Lord is there,"
And who has power to drive him hence?
poem by William Cowper
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Our Bird In Your Cage
we have this bird
we both own it and love it and care for it
our bird
and you have this cage
that you only own
golden, new and strong and as you say it
so reliable
that when our bird is in that cage
it will be safe
and cannot escape
we feed this bird together
and give it water and birdseeds
and a place of twigs and swing
where the bird can play
and perch upon
like it is on a tree
days and years
we keep this bird in your cage
and we see it is dying
and wanting to be free
yet you say, this sickness is just temporary
time heals what has wounded it
and shall forget the power of its wings
days and more years
we keep this bird in your cage
and i have not listened at all
to the sad song of that bird
her waning chirps
her weakened wings
her way of losing hold to the dreams of its wings
today we see this bird is dead
but you have no sadness at all
you say, you will buy another bird
again to be kept in your cage
i could have told you
i am the bird in your cage and i too have forgotten the power of
my wings
i could have told you, i have long died
and have forgotten what freedom is, what love is, what i am
in the first place. How can i ever tell you?
you are my cage.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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I want to fly!
yes, you do.
where do you want to go?
i am looking for a new home
how does one grow wings?
i want to fly...
it is the most quiet conversation.
the man begs to understand
why the mouth he is blest with does not take the shape of a beak.
the bird sings of many lands
the man has not yet been to
the little brown bird's heart is a ray of sun
but the man does not know
inside the wars are all in the making
outside it is still calm
the bird and the man kiss
the bird flies
the man falls asleep
the man flies
the bird is dead.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Songs In The Masque Of Alfred: To Alfred
First Spirit.
Hear, Alfred, father of the state,
Thy genius Heaven's high will declare!
What proves the hero truly great,
Is never, never to despair:
Is never to despair.
Second Spirit.
Thy hope awake, thy heart expand,
With all its vigour, all its fires.
Arise! and save a sinking land!
Thy country calls, and heaven inspires.
Both Spirits.
Earth calls, and Heaven inspires.
poem by James Thomson
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Riot, a Voice in the Fire
You voice calls out through fire
Is violence all you ever knew
What are you seeking to be heard
When the sky is lit with anger
You voices become lost in a scream
And looters steal from everyone
Without a care for the cost they inflict
This is no revolution in this town
Just a fight against your boredom
Lay down you arms and speak clear
Your voice calls out through fire
While the innocent look on afraid
Their message has been stolen
In the actions you have undertaken
I can see blood on your hands
You are free and freedom is glory
Until you abuse it for terror
What of the freedom of the innocent
What about their voice being heard
Your voice calls out through fire
I don’t even want to listen
Let it burn and pray you will burn with it
Your voice called out in fire
poem by Matthew Holloway
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Sonnet VII
LIKE an enfranchised bird, who wildly springs,
With a keen sparkle in his glancing eye
And a strong effort in his quivering wings,
Up to the blue vault of the happy sky,--
So my enamour'd heart, so long thine own,
At length from Love's imprisonment set free.
Goes forth into the open world alone,
Glad and exulting in its liberty:
But like that helpless bird, (confined so long,
His weary wings have lost all power to soar,)
Who soon forgets to trill his joyous song,
And, feebly fluttering, sinks to earth once more,--
So, from its former bonds released in vain,
My heart still feels the weight of that remember'd chain.
poem by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton
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Reality
Here on earth we see destruction
It has gone to far
We must change for new directions
Use your mind or fall
See through the past what we have done
Disaster soon will come
Hell after life or hell on this earth
Will we be rebirthed
Reality !
Time is short years are counted
Generations lost
See the truth ! We are hunted
We must pay the cost
See through the past what we have done
Disaster soon will come
Hell after life or hell on this earth
Will we be rebirthed
Nature bleeds for our disposal
We must point our view
You cant use your nuclear weapons
You must hear the calls
See through the past what we have done
Disaster soon will come
Hell after life or hell on this earth
Will we be rebirthed
We must gather now for a future instead of hell
We must gather now for a future instead of hell
song performed by by Zonata
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Slave Boy's Wish
I wish I was that little bird,
Up in the bright blue sky,
That sings and flies just where he will,
And no one asks him why.
I wish I was that little brook,
That runs so swift along,
Through pretty flowers and shining stones,
Singing a merry song.
I wish I was that butterfly,
Without a thought or care,
Sporting my pretty, brilliant wings,
Like a flower in the air.
I wish I was that wild, wild deer,
I saw the other day,
Who swifter than an arrow flew,
Through the forest far away.
I wish I was that little cloud,
By the gentle south wind driven,
Floating along so free and bright,
Far, far up into heaven.
I'd rather be a cunning fox,
And hide me in a cave;
I'd rather be a savage wolf,
Than what I am-a slave.
My mother calls me her good boy,
My father calls me brave;
What wicked action have I done,
That I should be a slave?
I saw my little sister sold,
So will they do to me;
My heavenly Father, let me die,
For then I shall be free.
poem by Anonymous Americas
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Day Is Done
When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done
When the day is done
Hope so much your race will be all run
Then you find you jumped the gun
Have to go back where you began
When the day is done
When the night is cold
Some get by but some get old
Just to show life's not made of gold
When the night is cold.
When the bird has flown
He got no-one to call your own
He got no place to call your home
When the bird has flown
When the game's been fought
You speed the ball across the court
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Now the game's been fought
When the party is through
It seems so very sad for you
Didn't do the things you meant to do
Now there's no time to start anew
Now the party's through
When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done
song performed by by Norah Jones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Day Is Done
When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.
When the day is done
Hope so much your race will be all run
Then you find you jumped the gun
Have to go back where you began
When the day is done.
When the night is cold
Some get by but some get old
Just to show lifes not made of gold
When the night is cold.
When the bird has flown
Got no-one to call your own
Got no place to call your home
When the bird has flown.
When the games been fought
You speed the ball across the court
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Now the games been fought.
When the partys through
Seems so very sad for you
Didnt do the things you meant to do
Now theres no time to start anew
Now the partys through.
When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.
song performed by by Nick Drake
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To A Butterfly Resting Upon A Skull
Creature of air and light,
Emblem of that which cannot die,
Wilt thou not speed thy flight,
To chase the south wind through the sunny sky?
What lures thee thus to stay,
With silence and decay,
Fix'd on the wreck of dull mortality?
The thoughts once chamber'd there
Have gather'd up their treasures and are gone:
Will the dust tell us where
They that have burst the prison-house are flown?
Rise, nursling of the day,
If thou wouldst trace their way;
Earth has no voice to make the secret known.
Who seeks the vanish'd bird
By the forsaken nest and broken shell?
Far hence he sings unheard,
Yet free and joyous, 'midst the woods to dwell.
Thou of the sunshine born,
Take the bright wings of morn;
Thy hope calls heavenward from yon ruin'd cell.
poem by Felicia Dorothea Hemans
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