To a Waterfowl

To a Waterfowl

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

by William Cullen Bryant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Whither, 'midst falling dew,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While glow the heavens with the last steps of day,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thy solitary way?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vainly the fowler's eye

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As, darkly painted on the crimson sky,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thy figure floats along.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Seek'st thou the plashy brink

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Or where the rocking billows rise and sink

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the chafed ocean side?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is a Power whose care

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,--

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The desert and illimitable air,--

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lone wandering, but not lost.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All day thy wings have fann'd

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At that far height, the cold thin atmosphere:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Though the dark night is near.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And soon that toil shall end,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And scream among thy fellows; reed shall bend

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soon o'er thy sheltered nest.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And shall not soon depart.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He, who, from zone to zone,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the long way that I must tread alone,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Will lead my steps aright.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~