The laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.
Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch and
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings
The whole tree trembles and thrills
It is the engine of her family
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch and
Showering her barred face identity mask
TED HUGHES
Laburnum : a short tree with hanging branches
Goldfinch : a small singing bird
Abrupt : unexpected
