Oh little bird upon the wing
How I love to hear you sing
And watch you in the world so high
Perform your ballet in the sky.
In spring when nature shows her face
You know you have to find a place
To build a nest to rear your young
A haven for the weeks to come.
Your chicks are reared, the nest they've flown
And from now on they're on their own
Now summers here the sun is high
Their song, like yours will fill the sky.
It's Autumn now, the leaves do fall
The trees look bare and stark and tall
There's no protection now at night
But try to sleep till morning light.
But worse to come in Winter time
To sit on empty washing line
And wait for scraps and wild birdseed
To be put out for you to feed.
To dodge the cat, who lies in wait
To pounce, if you fly off too late
You always have to be on guard
To take the chance, or you will starve.
At last the Spring is here once more
A nest to build just like before
So life goes on upon the wing
Oh how I love to hear you sing.
Gloria Brockwell