Gazette Of The United States

The STARLING. A SONG.

(From the Concord Gazette,)

BEAUTEOUS Starling late I saw
A On lovely Sylvia's hand;
To check his flight, around his leg
She ty'd a silken band:
In vain he flutters to be gone;
Confinement is his lot:
In vain he strives to break the band—
And can't untie the knot.
Cease! cease! she cried here you shall feed;
And in my bosom rest:
No bird that ever wing'd the air,
Was half so much caress'd.
If from my hand you should escape,
You may per chance be shot:
Then cease to peck—'tis all in vain—
You can't untie the knot.
The Bird contented grows, at length,
While Sylvia strokes his plumes;
Erects his little crest—and soon
His former notes resumes.
From what he'd heard the fair one say,
These words by rote he got;
And oft repeated every day,
You can't untie the knot.
One ev'ning youthful Damon sat,
With Sylvia by his side;
Reward my love at last, said he,
To-morrow be my bride.
Her blushes in his favor rose;
Yet she consented not;
For ere she spoke, the Starling cried—
You can't untie the knot.