On Seeing European Birds In N.Z. Poem by Francis Duggan

House sparrows, yellow hammers and chaffinches
I saw them north of Napier yesterday
Europe man brought their ancestors to New Zealand
Long years ago from places far away.

I saw and heard pink breasted chaffinch singing
On higher branch of old silver birch tree
The same song that I heard years ago in Ireland
Brought back again old memories to me.

On alder tree by my old home near Millstreet
The chaffinch song re-echoed every day
The wildflowers brightly bloomed in lush green meadows
And hawthorns wore white blossoms of the May.

It's early Summer in northern New Zealand
And sun shines brightly on a pleasant day
But seeing house sparrows of Ireland bring back memories
In Spring they wove their nests with strands of hay.

The yellow hammers, chaffinches and sparrows
That I saw south of Taupo yesterday
Brought back to me the memories that were fading
From years ago and places far away.