I heard the notes of a captive bird,
His song had a plaintive tone,
My heart was sad, and that little voice
Seemed to echo my spirit’s moan.
And I felt so grieved to see him bound
In that small and wiry home,
And I longed to set the pris’ner free,
O’er the distant fields to roam.
I lifted the door and bade him fly,
But alas! he did not rise
Aloft, to pour forth a joyous song
In the beauteous summer skies.
But he downward flew, and on a field,
All wet with the recent rain,
He paused, delighted for a while
With some seeds of scattered grain.
The ground was wet, and his little feet
Adhered to the clayey soil,
He flapped his wings and strove to rise,
But in vain was all his toil.
I watched him awhile and then methought,
As I set the prisoner free,
How this little bird had surely brought
A lesson of truth to me.
For I knew the Lord had set me free
From sin’s dark galling chains,
Yet like this bird I had sought to bind
My soul in those bonds again.
I’d seen there was much that wealth could buy,
I’d wished that power were mine,
And I’d longed for more of that golden store,
That its joys might round me shine.
But I forgot, if the soul would rise
To bask in your heavenly sphere,
It would sooner reach those happy skies
The less that it cared for hero.
So I pleaded, “Father, forgive thy child;”
From earth’s cares, oh set me free;
And lead this heart, by the world beguiled,
Still nearer, my God, to Thee.
“Forbid it, Lord, that my soul should fly
Down to the earth again,
Or forget those brighter joys on high
For some seeds of golden grain.”