Poetry Archives

Good-bye, good-bye to Summer!
  For Summer’s nearly done;
The garden smiling faintly,
  Cool breezes in the sun!
Our thrushes now are silent,—
  Our swallows flown away,—
But Robin’s here in coat of brown,
  And scarlet breast-knot gay.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
  O Robin dear!
Robin sings so sweetly
  In the falling of the year.

Bright yellow, red, and orange,
  The leaves come down in hosts;
The trees are Indian princes,
  But soon they’ll turn to ghosts;
The scanty pears and apples
  Hang russet on the bough;
It’s autumn, autumn, autumn late,
  ’Twill soon be winter now.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
  O Robin dear!
And what will this poor Robin do?
  For pinching days are near.

The fireside for the cricket,
  The wheat-stack for the mouse,
When trembling night-winds whistle
  And moan all round the house.
The frosty ways like iron,
  The branches plumed with snow,—
Alas! in winter dead and dark,
  Where can poor Robin go?
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
  O Robin dear!
And a crumb of bread for Robin,
  His little heart to cheer.