Sweet Song of the Sparrow

Song Sparrows appear to be everywhere this time of year. This one was taking a break from singing and hunting for food. Song Sparrows are large, dark, heavily streaked, chunky birds. The face has dark streaks through each eye and on either side of the crown, with gray between the dark streaks.

 

There is a bird I know so well,

It seems as if he must have sung

Beside my crib when I was young;

Before I knew the way to spell

The name of even the smallest bird,

His gentle, joyful song I heard.

Now see if you can tell, my dear,

What bird it is, that every year,

Sings “Sweet—sweet—sweet—very merry cheer.”

By Henry Van Dyke

 

Done