“I Know An Aged Man Constrained To Dwell”

Composed 1846.--Published 1850

One of the “Miscellaneous Poems.”--ED.

I know an aged Man constrained to dwell In a large house of public charity, Where he abides, as in a Prisoner’s cell, With numbers near, alas! no company.

When he could creep about, at will, though poor And forced to live on alms, this old Man fed A Redbreast, one that to his cottage door Came not, but in a lane partook his bread.

There, at the root of one particular tree, An easy seat this worn-out Labourer found While Robin pecked the crumbs upon his knee Laid one by one, or scattered on the ground.

Dear intercourse was theirs, day after day; What signs of mutual gladness when they met! Think of their common peace, their simple play, The parting moment and its fond regret.

Months passed in love that failed not to fulfil, In spite of season’s change, its own demand, By fluttering pinions here and busy bill; There by caresses from a tremulous hand.

Thus in the chosen spot a tie so strong Was formed between the solitary pair, That when his fate had housed him ’mid a throng The Captive shunned all converse proffered there.

Wife, children, kindred, they were dead and gone; But, if no evil hap his wishes crossed, One living Stay was left, and on that one Some recompense for all that he had lost.

O that the good old Man had power to prove, By message sent through air or visible token, That still he loves the Bird, and still must love; That friendship lasts though fellowship is broken!

So all the editions have it; but, as Principal Greenwood suggested to me, the true reading should be “in that one.”--ED.