A February Day

On a cold and frosty morning I gazed across fair fields, woods and copses, I heard a wood-lark sing a sweet song, so sweet, hairs on my neck raised, Did I hear it earlier in the month, I thought my ears were playing tricks, Standing in my back garden a thrush joined in with his song, a magical day. Peering around there were tomtits hanging on the eaves of the thatched barn, Rooks began to revisit their special trees and arrange their future nests, A harsh loud voice, the missel-thrush rang from hedges and boughs of trees, The missel-thrush became quiet, the hedge sparrow renewed its chirping note. Turkey-cocks now strut their stuff they gobble and partridges begin to pair, House-pigeons have had their young and field, crickets open their old holes, Gnats begin to play about the insects, swarm, under weak watery sun hedges, The stone-curlew clamors and by ponds, in wet water mead's the frogs croak. Ravens lay their eggs and in a far off wood a green woodpecker sings loudly, An elder treed discloses its flower buds and the catkins of the hazel grow, Young leaves are budding on the gooseberries and currants begin to take shape, And late February is a time where life is regenerated for another four seasons. Winter in spite of occasional frost and frowns is now leaving for pastures new, The voice of the turtle and the singing-bird is heard once more in our lands, Frost and icicles hanging from high old oak trees begin to drip on hard ground, A fox can be seen way off in a fallow field looking for nest-eggs for breakfast.