For Every Bird a Nest by Emily Dickinson - Poem for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C

The Englewood Review of Books curates a weekly series of classic and contemporary poems that resonate with the themes of the lectionary readings. Here is one of the poems for this coming Sunday (More poems for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C can be found here)

For Every Bird a Nest

Emily Dickinson

to accompany the lectionary reading: Sirach 10:12-18

For every Bird a Nest—

Wherefore in timid quest

Some little Wren goes seeking round—

Wherefore when boughs are free—

Households in every tree—

Pilgrim be found?

Perhaps a home too high—

Ah Aristocracy!

The little Wren desires—

Perhaps of twig so fine—

Of twine e’en superfine,

Her pride aspires—

The Lark is not ashamed

To build upon the ground

Her modest house—

Yet who of all the throng

Dancing around the sun

Does so rejoice?

*** This poem is in the public domain,

and may be read in a live-streamed worship service.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Her poems were unique for her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends, and also explore aesthetics, society, nature and spirituality.  (via Wikipedia)