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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FAIRY MUSIC, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There's many feet on the moor tonight, and
Last Line: Held safe and fast from the fairy blast, and deaf at last to the ceol-sidhe!
Subject(s): Fairies; Elves


THERE'S many feet on the moor to-night, and they fall so light as they turn and
pass,
So light and true that they shake no dew from the featherfew and the hungry
grass.
I drank no sup and I broke no crumb of their food, but dumb at their feast sat
I;
For their dancing feet and their piping sweet, now I sit and greet till I'm like
to die.

Oh kind, kind folk, to the words you spoke I shut my ears and I would not hear!
And now all day what my own kin say falls sad and strange on my careless ear;
For I'm listening, listening, all day long to a fairy song that is blown to me,
Over the broom and the canna's bloom, and I know the doom of the Ceol-Sidhe.

I take no care now for bee or bird, for a voice I've heard that is sweeter yet.
My wheel stands idle: at death or bridal apart I stand and my prayers forget.
When Ulick speaks of my wild-rose cheeks, and his kind love seeks out my heart
that's cold,
I take no care though he speaks me fair, for the new love casts out the love
that's cold.

I take no care for the blessed prayer, for my mother's hand or my mother's call.
There ever rings in my ear and sings, a voice more dear and more sweet than all.
Cold, cold's my breast, and broke's my rest, and oh it's blest to be dead I'd
be,
Held safe and fast from the fairy blast, and deaf at last to the Ceol-Sidhe!





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