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.