"I have a Bird in spring," in which a speaker tries to hang onto the faith that a beloved songbird will return in spite of the fact that it's flown far away, expresses the difficulty of facing loss in love and explores the strength it takes to go on trusting in a changed relationship. Emily Dickinson included the poem in an 1854 letter to her beloved Sue Gilbert, a friend to whom she'd developed a passionate attachment. When Sue married Dickinson's brother Austin, Dickinson had to grapple with the possibility that her relationships with two people she cared deeply about might never be the same. Like the vast majority of Dickinson's work, this poem wasn't published until long after her death. It was first printed in an 1894 collection of her letters.
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1I have a Bird in spring
2Which for myself doth sing—
3The spring decoys.
4And as the summer nears—
5And as the Rose appears,
6Robin is gone.
7Yet do I not repine
8Knowing that Bird of mine
9Though flown—
10Learneth beyond the sea
11Melody new for me
12And will return.
13Fast in a safer hand
14Held in a truer Land
15Are mine—
16And though they now depart
17Tell I my doubting heart
18They're thine.
19In a serener Bright,
20In a more golden light
21I see
22Each little doubt and fear,
23Each little discord here
24Removed.
25Then will I not repine,
26Knowing that Bird of mine
27Though flown
28Shall in a distant tree
29Bright melody for me
30Return.
1I have a Bird in spring
2Which for myself doth sing—
3The spring decoys.
4And as the summer nears—
5And as the Rose appears,
6Robin is gone.
7Yet do I not repine
8Knowing that Bird of mine
9Though flown—
10Learneth beyond the sea
11Melody new for me
12And will return.
13Fast in a safer hand
14Held in a truer Land
15Are mine—
16And though they now depart
17Tell I my doubting heart
18They're thine.
19In a serener Bright,
20In a more golden light
21I see
22Each little doubt and fear,
23Each little discord here
24Removed.
25Then will I not repine,
26Knowing that Bird of mine
27Though flown
28Shall in a distant tree
29Bright melody for me
30Return.
I have a Bird in spring
Which for myself doth sing—
The spring decoys.
And as the summer nears—
And as the Rose appears,
Robin is gone.
Yet do I not repine
Knowing that Bird of mine
Though flown—
Learneth beyond the sea
Melody new for me
And will return.
Fast in a safer hand
Held in a truer Land
Are mine—
And though they now depart
Tell I my doubting heart
They're thine.
In a serener Bright,
In a more golden light
I see
Each little doubt and fear,
Each little discord here
Removed.
Then will I not repine,
Knowing that Bird of mine
Though flown
Shall in a distant tree
Bright melody for me
Return.
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
The Dickinson Museum — Find a trove of information about Dickinson's life and work at the Dickinson Museum.
Dickinson's Legacy — Learn how Dickinson's secret poetry was discovered and preserved.
The Poem in Dickinson's Hand — See the original manuscript of the poem, taken from a letter Dickinson wrote to her beloved friend Susan Gilbert when she married Dickinson's brother.
Dickinson and Gilbert — Learn more about the intense relationship between Dickinson and Susan Gilbert, the woman for whom this poem was written.
The Poem Set to Music — Listen to a pleasantly eerie choral arrangement of the poem.