Canto 16To the Cuckoo
Book 1. Part One - England and Baroda 1883 – 1898
England and Baroda, 1883–1898
Made holy by the well-loved feet that trod
Its vocal shades; and more unearthly bright
Thy jewelled songs made of relucent light
5Wherein the birds of spring and summer and all flowers
And murmuring waters flow, her widowed hours
Making melodious who divinely loved.
No human hands such notes ambrosial moved;
These accents are not of the imperfect earth;
10Rather the god was voiceful in their birth,
The god himself of the enchanting flute,
The god himself took up thy pen and wrote.
To the Cuckoo
Sounds of the wakening world, the year’s increase,
15Passage of wind and all his dewy powers
With breath and laughter of new-bath`ed flowers
And that deep light of heaven above the trees
Awake mid leaves that muse in golden peace
Sweet noise of birds, but most in heavenly showers
20The cuckoo’s voice pervades the lucid hours,
Is priest and summoner of these melodies.
The spent and weary streams refresh their youth
At that creative rain and barren groves
Regain their face of flowers; in thee the ruth
25Of Nature wakening her dead children moves.
But chiefly to renew thou hast the art
Fresh childhood in the obscur`ed human heart.