Of Being is a Bird 1
The likest to the Down
An Easy Breeze do put afloat
The General Heavens－upon－
It soars－and shifts－and whirls－5
And measures with the Clouds
In easy－even－dazzling pace－
No different the Birds－
Except a Wake of Music 9
Accompany their feet－
As did the Down emit a Tune－
For Ecstasy－of it
The likest to the Down
An Easy Breeze do put afloat
The General Heavens－upon－
It soars－and shifts－and whirls－5
And measures with the Clouds
In easy－even－dazzling pace－
No different the Birds－
Except a Wake of Music 9
Accompany their feet－
As did the Down emit a Tune－
For Ecstasy－of it
(F.462/J.653)
[1] Bird:: a shuttlecock that flies like a bird.
[2] Down:: it's made of feathers.
[3, 4] afloat, Heavens:: it flies.
[9–11] Music, Tune:: a shuttlecock with whistling sound.
[12] Ecstasy:: adding more fun with the sound.
Shuttle-Cock is a boyish sport of long standing; it appeals to have been a fashionable pastime among grown persons in the reign of James the First, and is mentioned as such in an old comedy ("The Two Maids of Moreclacke," printed A.D. 1609) of that time, wherein it is said, "To play at shuttle-cock, methinks, is the game now," And among the anecdotes of Prince Henry, son to James the First, is the following:－"His Highness playing at shittle-cocke with one farr taller than himself, and hittyng him by chance with the shittle-cocke upon the forehead, 'This is,' quoth he, 'the encounter of David with Goliath.'" ─ The Mirror of literature, amusement, and instruction (1826)