Page:Dreams and Images.djvu/301

He had a thought and it set Him smiling
  Of the shape of a bird and its glancing head,
Its dainty air and its grace beguiling:
  "I will make feathers," the Lord God said.

He made the robin; He made the swallow;
  His deft hands moulding the shape to His mood,
The thrush and the lark and the finch to follow,
  And laughed to see that His work was good.

He Who has given men gift of laughter,
  Made in His image; He fashioned fit
The blink of the owl and the stork thereafter,
  The little wren and the long-tailed tit.

He spent in the making His wit and fancies;
  The wing-feathers He fashioned them strong;
Deft and dear as daisies and pansies,
  He crowned His work with the gift of song.

"Dearlings," He said, "make songs for my praises!"
  He tossed them loose to the sun and the wind,
Airily sweet as pansies and daisies;
  He taught them to build a nest to their mind.

The dear Lord God of His glories weary—
  Christ our Lord had the heart of a boy—
Made Him birds in a moment merry,
  Bade them soar and sing for His joy.