A SUNNY shaft did I behold,   From sky to earth it slanted: And poised therein a bird so bold—   Sweet bird, thou wert enchanted!

He sank, he rose, he twinkled, he troll'd   Within that shaft of sunny mist; His eyes of fire, his beak of gold,   All else of amethyst!

And thus he sang: 'Adieu! adieu! Love's dreams prove seldom true. The blossoms, they make no delay: The sparking dew-drops will not stay.     Sweet month of May,       We must away;       Far, far away!         To-day! to-day!'