Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, by ROBERT DWYER JOYCE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, by                    
First Line: I sat within the valley green
Last Line: The wind that shakes the barley!
Subject(s): Ireland - Rebellions


I sat within the valley green,
I sat me with my true love.
My sad heart strove the two between--
The old love and the new love.
The old for her, the new that made
Me think on Ireland dearly;
While soft the wind blew down the glade
And shook the golden barley.

'Twas hard the woeful words to frame,
To break the ties that bound us;
'Twas harder still to bear the shame
Of foreign chains around us.
And so I said, "The mountain glen
I'll seek at morning early,
And join the brave United men,"
While soft winds shook the barley.

While sad I kissed away her tears,
My fond arms around her flinging,
The foemen's shot burst on our ears,
From out the wild wood ringing;
The bullet pierced my true love's side,
In life's young spring so early,
And on my breast in blood she died,
When soft winds shook the barley.

But blood for blood without remorse
I've ta'en at Oulart Hollow;
I've placed my true love's clay-cold corse
Where I full soon shall follow;
And round her grave I wander drear,
Noon, night, and morning early,
With breaking heart whene'er I hear
The wind that shakes the barley!





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