I have heard the curlew crying I have heard the curlew crying On a lonely moor and mere; On a lonely moor and mere; And the sea-gull's shriek in the gloaming And the sea-gull's shriek in the gloaming Is a lonely sound in the ear: Is a lonely sound in the ear: And I've heard the brown thrush mourning And I've heard the brown thrush mourning For her children stolen away;- For her children stolen away;- But it's O for the homeless Wild Geese But it's O for the homeless Wild Geese That sailed ere the dawn of day! That sailed ere the dawn of day! For the curlew out on the moorland Hath five fine eggs in the nest; For the curlew out on the moorland And the thrush will get her a new love Hath five fine eggs in the nest; And sing her song with the best. And the thrush will get her a new love As the swallow flies to the Summer And sing her song with the best. Will the gull return to the sea: As the swallow flies to the Summer But never the wings of the Wild Geese Will the gull return to the sea: Will flash over seas to me. But never the wings of the Wild Geese And 'tis ill to be roaming, roaming Will flash over seas to me. With the homesick heart in the breast! And how long I've looked for your coming, And my heart is the empty nest! And 'tis ill to be roaming, roaming O sore in the land of the stranger With the homesick heart in the breast! They'll pine for the land far away! And how long I've looked for your coming, But Day of Aughrim, my sorrow, And my heart is the empty nest! It was you was the bitter day! O sore in the land of the stranger They'll pine for the land far away! But Day of Aughrim, my sorrow, It was you was the bitter day! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO MY MOTHER SLEEPING by MARY RUSSELL MITFORD ON A GRAVE AT GRINDELWALD by FREDERICK WILLIAM HENRY MYERS THE CITY MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY [OR, GARDEN] MOUSE by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI THE EAGLE; A FRAGMENT by ALFRED TENNYSON PSALM 31. IN TE DOMINE by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE |