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Birds, Vol. III, No 3, March 1898

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<h2><SPAN name="THE_STORMY_PETREL2" id="THE_STORMY_PETREL2"></SPAN>THE STORMY PETREL.</h2> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse">A thousand miles from land are we,</div> <div class="verse">Tossing about on the stormy sea—</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">From billow to bounding billow cast,</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">Like fleecy snow on the stormy blast.</div> <div class="verse">The sails are scattered abroad like weeds,</div> <div class="verse">The strong masts shake like quivering reeds;</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">The mighty cables and iron chains,</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">The hull—which all earthly strength disdains—</div> <div class="verse">They strain and they crack, and hearts like stone</div> <div class="verse">Their natural, hard, proud strength disown.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse">Up and down!—up and down!</div> <div class="verse">From the base of the wave to the billow's crown,</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">And amidst the flashing and feathery foam</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">The Stormy Petrel finds a home—</div> <div class="verse">A home, if such a place may be</div> <div class="verse">For her who lives on the wide, wide sea.</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">On the craggy ice, in the frozen air,</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">And only seeketh her rocky lair</div> <div class="verse">To warn her young and teach them to spring</div> <div class="verse">At once o'er the waves on their stormy wing!</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse">O'er the deep!—o'er the deep!</div> <div class="verse">Where the whale and the shark and the sword fish sleep—</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">Out-flying the blast and the driving rain,</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">The Petrel telleth her tale—in vain;</div> <div class="verse">For the mariner curseth the warning bird</div> <div class="verse">Which bringeth him news of the storm unheard!</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">Ah! thus does the prophet of good or ill</div> <div class="verse indent-1_5">Meet hate from the creatures he serveth still;</div> <div class="verse">Yet he ne'er falters—so, Petrel, spring</div> <div class="verse">Once more o'er the waves on thy stormy wing!</div> <div class="verse ar">—<span class="sc">Bryan Waller Procter.</span></div> </div></div> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</SPAN></span></p> <hr class="small" /> <table class="sp2 mc w50" title="BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER" summary="BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER."> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="3"><span class="ac w100 figcenter"> <SPAN name="i_023.jpg" id="i_023.jpg"> <ANTIMG style="width:100%" src="images/i_023.jpg" width="458" height="600" alt="" /></SPAN></span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xx-smaller ac w30">From col. A. W. Carter.</td> <td class="x-smaller ac w40">BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER.<br/> ⅔ Life-size.</td> <td class="xx-smaller ac w30">Copyright by<br/> Nature Study Pub. Co., 1898, Chicago.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</SPAN></span></p> </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />

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