"Birds! we but repeat on you
What amongst ourselves we do.
Somewhat more or somewhat less,
'Tis the same unskilfulness.
What you feel escapes our ken-
Know we more our fellow-men?
Human suffering at our side,
Ah, like yours is undescried!
Human longings, human fears,
Miss our eyes and miss our ears;
Little helping, wounding much,
Dull of heart and hard of touch,
Brother man's despairing sign,
Who may trust us to divine?"