ORIOLES

Wings in a blur of gold

High in the elm trees,

Looping like tawny flame

Through the green shadows,

Now at an airy height

Pausing a heart beat

Quite at the twig's tip,

Pendulous, bending.

Golden against the blue,

Gold in an azure cup,

Golden wine bubbling

Out of blue goblets...

Cool, smooth and reedy notes

Fly low across the noon

While through the drowsy heat

Drums the cicada.

Tropical wing and song

Bound from Bolivia...

All the blue Amazon

Sings to New England....

Flute-noted orioles,

Flame-coated orioles,

Gold-throated orioles,

Spirits of summer.