Possible Clues:

• Willa Cather's "The Song of the __"
• Flier, bit of a laugh
• On a ___
• Melodious songbird
• Bird's hoot
• 'The Song of the ___' (Willa Cather novel)
• Poet dismissing popular play
• Bird left Noah's vessel
• Sings all day for a bit of fun.
• Laugh from boat on lake? On the contrary