Catbird, catbird, tell my lover
I am gone away.
Tell him also I’ll return
Before the resting-day.
Watch for him by setting sun,
And speak then, if you may-
Oh catbird, catbird, tell my lover
I have gone away.
Chorus:
Fly, pretty birds, oh fly!
My lover’s doomed to die-
But I am such a foolish thing,
I laugh and mock and dance and sing,
And never know his fall.
Thistle-wren, thistle-wren, tell my love
To seek the green lagoon.
Tell my lover I’ll return
Beside the rising moon.
It’s resting-day, but there’s delay,
I won’t be coming soon.
Oh thistle-wren, thistle-wren, tell my love
To seek the green lagoon.
Kirtle-dove, kirtle-dove, tell my lover
I could not draw nigh.
I know he waited faithfully
Beneath the blackened sky,
I sought the village dance instead
To steal a kiss, did I-
Kirtle-dove, kirtle-dove, don’t say that-
Just say I couldn’t draw nigh.
Deerhawk, deerhawk, can you spy
My love beneath your gaze?
I swore that I’d be back before,
But it’s been thirteen days-
I got distracted in the town
In silly, flirting ways-
Oh deerhawk, deerhawk, can you spy
My love beneath your gaze?
Ribbon-finch, ribbon-finch, why does silence
Fall as I pass by?
I’m only here to seek my love,
No cloud is in the sky-
No predator is passing near,
So why so sudden shy?
Ribbon-finch, ribbon-finch, why does silence
Fall as I pass by?
Shadow-crow, the sight of you
Brings ice into my heart.
I’m only here to seek my love,
We’ve been too long apart-
Oh shadow-crow, is that drowned corpse
My love- in the black death-cart?
Your folded wings are cruelty
Beyond all bound or chart!
End chorus:
Fly, pretty birds, oh fly!
The shadow-crow wings nigh,
I may regret
My actions- yet
He will not let me free.