"What the Swallows Say."

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 24

"What the Swallows Say."

(From the French of Thd-phlle Gautlor, by Bavono33

fawifs.) ieaves, russefc-brown, are falling fast, And on the withered grass-plots lie ; Each room and eva a chilly blast Wains us that winter drawoth nigh The fountains bubble o'er with rain. And swallows on tho hou s e-lop3 noar,

In council gathering, com.>la.i.i : " Tis cold, 'Us cold, aud whuer'ii here t" By hundreds they a^o?mblQ there, Biscusi-inff whence, and when, to start ; And one chirps, •'* Oh, in Atbonh fair 'lid coay on the old rave part .'" The next : "I on the col incr dwell, Ab Symrna, of a, scna'l oa'6 ; Tkoir uaiber beads tne H*dji> till, Upon ito eill the live-long day." Tin n fays a fchml : " I haste to whore, Upon a templa's proud fpijide, At Bia'b \a, 0,1 ,\ fcri^lyph thare, Mv dwelliug-place I oft have made." Another : " I at Rhodes each year n ita knig-hiss' aacienS palace stay ; My ncßt buiid in B'inio c <nii*e noar Itj mvßtve column?, old and gray." A fitkU roaiork; : •• I'll pause awhilo— fco> age, ala* ! imped6j my flight — On Malta b nno^y terraced ls.e, Where waveß and Bkiaa gleam azure-bright," "On Cairo*; minaret's I And on th-.lr heights " 0 '6 do*h doslaro, ' Some aijgle plast'i t o'er w.fcta clay, And thus my winter horn" 1 j>i-par>\" " Cloae by tho Second ("ata'act." Tae la^t one aaya N " mv acs 1 doth cling, T\> a stnue statue, plac d exact Wnhin the head piec* oi a king." They nag In chorus : " We shaM vifiw Wow lands to-morrow in our flight ; Sno v peakn, drear detrcrfi?, oceans blue Will spread tueir taat vela to out right !" I know all that tbe swallows Biutr, Kach not^ aoeuos sdtoo famili ir wa»d— Agaitufe cho bars i'-a priaon'd wing Tho poet's aoul beats like a bird ! " For wing}, far wings !" I fain would Bigh, A.i RuckerS, top. did onn time sing, Par Eoutihwavdß witi the birds to fly Ifo lands of sunshine and oJ spring !