The poem
A Robin Redbreast in a cage, Puts all Heaven in a rage.
A skylark wounded on the wing Doth make a cherub cease to sing.
He who shall hurt the little wren Shall never be beloved by men.
Three Things to Remember
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- dallas111 words
These lines are lifted from the Auguries of Innocence, which has about 132 lines. The birds mentioned in "Three Things to Remember" are significant since most have a symbolic meaning. The Red-Breast Robin has been linked to the breed that tried to remove the thorns from Jesus as he was suffering on the cross. With the wren, there were some Druid practices involved with it; its feathers were also believed to prevent sailors from drowning.
I wish the owl had been included in this "lifting". The owl is a bird of evil portent--think Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The line from Auguries: "The owl that calls upon the night speaks the unbeliever's fright."