The Arkansas Advocate

THE HUMMING BIRD.

"A bird peculiar to the east. It is supposed to fly constantly in the air, and never touch the ground."

Fly on! nor touch thy wing bright bird
Too near our shaded earth,
Or the warbling, now so sweetly heard,
May lose its note of mirth.

Fly on nor seek a place of rest,
In the home of care worn things."

T'would dim the light of thy shining crest,
And thy bright burnished wings,
To dip them where the waters glide
That flow from a troubled earthly tide.

The fields of upper air are thine
Thy place where stars shine free,
I would thy home, bright one, were mine,
Above life's stormy sea,
I would never wander bird, like thee,
So near this place again,
With wing and spirit once light and free—
They should wear no more the chain,
With which they are bound and fettered here,
Forever struggling for skies more clear.

There are many things like thee, bright bird,
Hopes as thy plumage gay,
Our air is forever with them stirr'd,
But still in the air they stay.

And happiness, like thee, fair one!
Is ever hovering o'er,
But rests in a land of brighter sun.
On a waveless peaceful shore,
And stoops to lave her weary wings,
Where fount of "living waters" springs.