The Nightingale
Richard Barnfield (1574–1627)
As it fell upon a day
In the
merry month of May,
Sitting in a pleasant shade
Which
a grove of myrtles made,
Beasts
did leap and birds did sing,
Trees
did grow and plants did spring;
Every
thing did banish moan,
Save
the nightingale alone.
She,
poor bird, as all forlorn,
Lean'd
her breast up-till a thorn
And
there sung the doleful'st ditty,
That to
hear it was great pity.
Fie,
fie, fie, now would she cry,
Teru,
teru, by and by;
That to
hear her so complain,
Scarce
I could from tears refrain;
For her
griefs so lively shown
Made me
think upon mine own.
Ah,
thought I, thou mourn'st in vain;
None
takes pity on thy pain;
Senseless trees, they cannot hear thee;
Ruthless bears, they will not cheer thee;
King
Pandion, he is dead,
All thy
friends are lapp'd in lead;
All thy
fellow birds do sing,
Careless of thy sorrowing;
Whilst
as fickle fortune smil'd,
Thou
and I were both beguil'd.
Every
one that flatters thee
Is no
friend in misery:
Words
are easy, like the wind,
Faithful friends are hard to find;
Every
man will be thy friend
Whilst
thou hast wherewith to spend,
But if
store of crowns be scant,
No man
will supply thy want.
If that
one be prodigal,
Bountiful they will him call;
And
with such-like flattering
Pity
but he were a king.
If he
be addict to vice,
Quickly
him they will entice;
If to
women he be bent,
They
have at commandëment;
But if
fortune once do frown,
Then
farewell his great renown;
They
that fawn'd on him before
Use his
company no more.
He that
is thy friend indeed
He will
help thee in thy need:
If thou
sorrow, he will weep;
If thou
wake, he cannot sleep;
Thus of
every grief, in heart,
He with
thee doth bear a part.
These
are certain signs to know
Faithful
friend from flatt'ring foe.
https://pixabay.com/photos/the-chinese-nightingale-zoo-beak-3433852/:
Image by yrcca from Pixabay: Picture Courtesy
#nightingale, #nature, #bird, #ornithology,
#trees
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