This text comes from The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.
mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr">Hymn (1)The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbarby Paul Laurence DunbarPreparationThe Deserted Plantation→
PREPARATION
The little bird sits in the nest and sings
A shy, soft song to the morning light;
And it flutters a little and prunes its wings.
The song is halting and poor and brief,
And the fluttering wings scarce stir a leaf;
But the note is a prelude to sweeter things,
And the busy bill and the flutter slight
Are proving the wings for a bolder flight!