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New Zealand Bird Songs

The Mako-Mako — (Bell-bird)

page 37

The Mako-Mako
(Bell-bird)

He went between the trees at dawn,
When all the bush its secret tells,
The air broke into flying notes,
The flurried wind was rich with bells.

It ceased, and one bird sang alone,
So slow, so strong! So slow, so strong!
Could any ear forget that stroke?
So sweet, so long! So sweet, so long!

Next year he, marching, heard again
A wind of bells blow from the dawn,
The others saw a Flemish spire,
But to the bush his heart was drawn.

He heard again the Bell-bird sing,
So slow, so strong! So slow, so strong!
Could ear alive forget that stroke?
So sweet, so long! So sweet, so long!