The BlackbirdNot in 1833.This is another poem placed among the poems of 1833, but not printed till 1842.The espaliers and the standards allAre thine; the range of lawn and park:The unnetted black-hearts ripen dark,All thine, against the garden wall.Yet, tho’ I spared thee all the spring,[1]Thy sole delight is, sitting still,With that gold dagger of thy billTo fret the summer jenneting.[2]A golden bill! the silver tongue,Cold February loved, is dry:Plenty corrupts the melodyThat made thee famous once, when young:And in the sultry garden-squares,[3]Now thy flute-notes are changed to coarse,I hear thee not at all,[4]or hoarseAs when a hawker hawks his wares.Take warning! he that will not singWhile yon sun prospers in the blue,Shall sing for want, ere leaves are new,Caught in the frozen palms of Spring.[1]1842. Yet, though I spared thee kith and kin. And so till 1853, when it was altered to the present reading.[2]1842 to 1851. Jennetin, altered in 1853 to present reading.[3]1842. I better brook the drawling stares. Altered, 1843.[4]1842. Not hearing thee at all. Altered, 1843.
Not in 1833.This is another poem placed among the poems of 1833, but not printed till 1842.
The espaliers and the standards allAre thine; the range of lawn and park:The unnetted black-hearts ripen dark,All thine, against the garden wall.Yet, tho’ I spared thee all the spring,[1]Thy sole delight is, sitting still,With that gold dagger of thy billTo fret the summer jenneting.[2]A golden bill! the silver tongue,Cold February loved, is dry:Plenty corrupts the melodyThat made thee famous once, when young:And in the sultry garden-squares,[3]Now thy flute-notes are changed to coarse,I hear thee not at all,[4]or hoarseAs when a hawker hawks his wares.Take warning! he that will not singWhile yon sun prospers in the blue,Shall sing for want, ere leaves are new,Caught in the frozen palms of Spring.
[1]1842. Yet, though I spared thee kith and kin. And so till 1853, when it was altered to the present reading.
[2]1842 to 1851. Jennetin, altered in 1853 to present reading.
[3]1842. I better brook the drawling stares. Altered, 1843.
[4]1842. Not hearing thee at all. Altered, 1843.