A Lark's Song

Sweet, sweet!     I rise to greet     The sapphire sky     The air slips by     On either side     As up I ride     On mounting wing,     And sing and sing -     Then reach my bliss,     The sun's great kiss;     And poise a space     To see his face,     Sweet, sweet,     In radiant grace,     Ah, sweet! ah, sweet!     Sweet, sweet!     Beneath my feet     My nestlings call:     And down I fall     Unerring, true,     Through heaven's blue;     And haste to fill     Each noisy bill.     My brooding breast     Stills their unrest.     Sweet, sweet,     Their quick hearts beat,     Safe in the nest:     Ah, sweet, sweet, sweet!     Ah, sweet!     Sweet, sweet     The calling sky     That bids me fly     Up--up--on high.     Sweet, sweet     The claiming earth;     It holds my nest     And draws me down     To where Love's crown     Of priceless worth     Awaits my breast.     Sweet, sweet!     Ah, this is best     And this most meet,     Sweet, sweet! ah, sweet!