Anonymous

The Gray Doves' Answer

The leaves were reddening to their fall.

"Coo!" said the gray doves, "coo!"

As they sunned themselves on the garden wall,

And the swallows round them flew,

"Whither away, sweet swallows?

Coo!" said the gray doves, "coo!"

"Far from this land of ice and snow

To a sunny southern clime we go,

Where the sky is warm and bright and gay:

Come with us, away, away!


"Come," they said, "to that sunny clime!"

"Coo!" said the gray doves, "coo!"

"You will die in this land of mist and rime,

Where 't is bleak the winter through.

Come away!" said the swallows.

"Coo!" said the gray doves, "coo!

Oh, God in heaven," they said, "is good;

And little hands will give us food,

And guard us all the winter through.

Coo!" said the gray doves, "coo!"