"THE GREEN WOODPECKER FLYING UP AND DOWN"*
            John Clare
                c. 183?
=================================================

The green woodpecker flying up and down
With wings of mellow green and speckled crown
She bores a hole in trees with crawking noise
And pelted down and often catched by boys
She makes a lither nest of grass and whool
Men fright her oft that go the sticks to pull
Ive up and clumb the trees with hook and pole
And stood on rotten grains to reach the hole
And as I trembled upon fear and doubt
I found the eggs and scarce could get them out
I put them in my hat a tattered crown
And scarcely without breaking brought them down
The eggs are small for such a bird they lay
Five eggs and like the sparrows spotted grey


========

* later given the editorial title "The Green Woodpecker's Nest"

========
========