The Bird Sanctuary
➢ Central idea of the poem / Critical appreciation
The poem ‘ The Bird Sanctuary’ is written by Sarojini Naidu who is also
known as ‘The Nightingale of India’. She is a lyricist and as such her work is
marked by a delicate fancy and haunting music. This poem is about the
serenity, musicality, and vibrancy of nature filled with lyrical songs of the
winged fairies, birds.
The poem is addressed to the Master of the Birds. There is festive joy as the
birds sing tumultuously. The enchanting aura they craft herald the Festival of
Dawn. Birds of multitudinous colours produce music entrancing and melodious.
The poem is written in the conventional ballad stanza form. It consists of
four quatrains. it contains the ABCB rhyme scheme. It means the second and
fourth lines of each stanza rhyme together.
The poem takes us to nature’s abode, a quiet garden filled with sonorous
music of birds. It is like a temple where, at dawn, choristers of nature begin the
hymn to God, the Almighty in unison. In this beautiful garden, the poet can
notice a number of birds including bulbul, oriole, honey-bird, shama, etc. She
describes what they do in the garden. Furthermore, Naidu contrasts the lifestyles
of gray pigeons and the gypsy parrots.
Sarojini Naidu makes use of the poetic devices in ‘The Bird Sanctuary’ like
metaphor, synecdoche, alliteration, personification and imagery.
• Alliteration: The repetition of similar sounds can be found in “richly
cadenced rapture”, “that drip”, “sea-washed silver”, “tree-tops”,
“red ripe”, “gracious garden”, “fostering freedom”, “singing space”, etc
• Personification: In the first stanza, Naidu personifies the birds in
“winged choristers”. The “amber”, “ebony”, and “fain” are also
personified as having “lyric throats”. It means they also sing at the
“Festival of Dawn”.
The poet explores the themes of the musicality of nature, birds, comfort vs
uncertainty, grief, and spiritual longing in this poem. Besides, the speaker also
describes the beauty of birds in this poem. She beautifully captures their
movement and features. Apart from that, the third stanza contains an interesting
theme. It is about the comfort of home and the carefree life of “gay marauders”.
The poet compares these ideas by using the symbols of “Wild gray pigeons” and
“jade-green gipsy parrots”.
The last stanza specifically explores the poet’s sadness and spiritual
longing.
“O Master of the Birds, grant sanctuary and shelter
Also to a homing bird that bears a broken wing.”
Here, she implores God to grant him a place in the holy resort of nature. The
master of the birds, who has provided this pleasant sanctuary is implored to
provide shelter to a homing bird as to others, that has a broken or bruised
wing. The musicality and serenity in nature create a sense of longing in her
heart.
