The Curlew Song

The viewless blast, flies moaning past,
 * Away to the forest trees;

Where giant pines, and leafless vines
 * Bend 'neath the wandering breeze.

From ferny streams, unearthly screams
 * Are heard in the midnight blue;

As afar they roam, to the shepherd's home—
 * The shrieks of the wild Curlew
 * As afar they roam,
 * To the shepherd's home,—
 * The shrieks of the wild Curlew.

The mists are curled, o'er a dark-faced world,
 * And the shadows sleep around,

Where the clear lagoon reflects the moon,
 * In her hazy glory crowned;

While dingoes howl, to wake the growl
 * Of the watchdog brave and true,

Whose loud rough bark shoots up in the dark,
 * With the song of the lone Curlew.
 * Whose loud rough bark,
 * Shoots up in the dark,
 * With the song of the lone Curlew.

The clouds are thrown around the cone
 * Of the mountain bare and high,

Whose craggy peak uprears to the cheek—
 * To the face of the sombre sky;

When down beneath the foggy wreath,
 * Full many a gully through,

They rend the air, like cries of despair—
 * The screams of the wild Curlew.
 * They rend the air,
 * Like cries of despair,
 * The screams of the wild Curlew.

Near herby banks, the dark green ranks
 * Of the rushes stoop to drink;

And the ripples chime, in a measur'd time,
 * On the smooth and mossy brink;

As wind-breaths sigh, and pass and die,
 * To start from the swamps anew

And join again, o'er ridge and plain,
 * With the cries of the sad Curlew.
 * And join again,
 * O'er ridge and plain,
 * With the cries of the sad Curlew.

The viewless blast flies moaning past,
 * Away to the forest trees;

Where giant pines, and leafless vines,
 * Bend neath the wandering breeze.

From ferny streams, unearthly screams,
 * Are heard in the midnight blue—

As afar they roam, to the Shepherd's home,—
 * The shrieks of the wild Curlew
 * As afar they roam
 * To the Shepherd's home
 * The shrieks of the wild Curlew.