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| THE GOLDEN-ROBIN came to build his nest | |
| High in the elm-tree’s ever-nodding crest; | |
| All the long day, upon his task intent, | |
| Backward and forward busily he went, | |
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| Gathering from far and near the tiny shreds | 5 |
| That birdies weave for little birdies’ beds; | |
| Now bits of grass, now bits of vagrant string, | |
| And now some queerer, dearer sort of thing. | |
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| For on the lawn, where he was wont to come | |
| In search of stuff to build his pretty home, | 10 |
| We dropped one day a lock of golden hair | |
| Which our wee darling easily could spare; | |
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| And close beside it tenderly we placed | |
| A lock that had the stooping shoulders graced | |
| Of her old grandsire; it was white as snow, | 15 |
| Or cherry-trees when they are all ablow. | |
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| Then throve the golden-robin’s work apace; | |
| Hundreds of times he sought the lucky place | |
| Where sure, he thought, in his bird-fashion dim, | |
| Wondrous provision had been made for him. | 20 |
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| Both locks, the white and golden, disappeared; | |
| The nest was finished, and the brood was reared; | |
| And then there came a pleasant summer’s day | |
| When the last golden-robin flew away. | |
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| Ere long, in triumph, from its leafy height, | 25 |
| We bore the nest so wonderfully dight, | |
| And saw how prettily the white and gold | |
| Made warp and woof of many a gleaming fold. | |
| |
| But when again the golden-robins came, | |
| Cleaving the orchards with their breasts aflame, | 30 |
| Grandsire’s white locks and baby’s golden head | |
| Were lying low, both in one grassy bed. | |
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| And so more dear than ever is the nest | |
| Ta’en from the elm-tree’s ever nodding crest. | |
| Little the golden-robin thought how rare | 35 |
| A thing he wrought of white and golden hair! | |
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