Explore "The Nightingale" by Thomas James Wise on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
"Translated from the Danish"
In midnight's calm hour the Nightingale sings / Of freedom, of love, and delight; / Come, haste to the grove where melody rings, / 'Tis Philomel's notes that invite. / A fowler attentively follows her there, / Resolv'd for his victim to spread out a snare: / "Think", "girls", "of the Nightingale's fate", "and beware"!
In ambush his nets he carefully brings, / Glad innocence feels no alarm; / Unguarded her flight-'midst danger she wings- / And falls into sorrowful harm. / Alas! she is silent, and full of despair, / He glides away quick with his treasure so rare: / "Think", "girls", "of the Nightingale's fate", "and beware"!
A beautiful cage adorns his fair prize, / In hope that for him she will sing; / But Freedom, that wafted her notes to the skies, / Bore Gladness away on its wing. / Thus you, Philomela, resemble the fair, / And we, we delight in the love that we share: / "O", "think of the Nightingale's fate", "and beware"!