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Watson, Sir William - Epigram - Love, like a bird, hath perch'd upon a spray
Identifier
003341
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Love, like a bird, hath perch'd upon a spray
For thee and me to hearken what he sings.
Contented, he forgets to fly away;
But hush!... remind not Eros of his wings.
A deft musician does the breeze become
Whenever an AEolian harp it finds:
Hornpipe and hurdygurdy both are dumb
Unto the most musicianly of winds.
Toiling and yearning, 'tis man's doom to see
No perfect creature fashion'd of his hands.
Insulted by a flower's immaculacy,
And mock'd at by the flawless stars he stands.
For metaphors of man we search the skies,
And find our allegory in all the air.
We gaze on Nature with Narcissus-eyes,
Enamour'd of our shadow everywhere.
One music maketh its occult abode
In all things scatter'd from great Beauty's hand;
And evermore the deepest words of God
Are yet the easiest to understand