"In Islamic literature, the soul, symbolically associated with water and blood, is generally represented by green birds (green finches) or, more precisely, the souls after death dwell in the gizzards of birds which fly around the throne of God (a very ancient idea)." Louis Massignon, on The Idea of Spirit in Islam. Mason's poem, "Finch," is a reflection, as in a mirror, of this ancient Islamic myth (Young-Mason).

FINCH

My soul is like a small green bird

Which flies around my father's chair.

His chair is vacant now, at least

It seems no one is seated there.

It has a song I cannot hear

Which someone else may one day sing

Should he return, though no one has

Reported anything.

It isn't physical, I'm told;

Some say it's spiritual and very high;

And yet, the finch's sound is like

A human cry.