Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HEART OF THE GAEL, by MARIE MANCINO


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HEART OF THE GAEL, by                    
First Line: I have never seen the heather
Last Line: Of the pipes played by the lads in bonnets blue.
Subject(s): Bands; Music & Musicians; Orchestras


I have never seen the heather --
The braes of blooming heather;
I've never seen a misty Highland Glen.
I have never worn a bonnet
With an eagle feather on it,
Nor marched in line with kilted fighting-men.

I have never worn the tartan --
The bonnie bright-hued tartan;
I've never held a claymore in my hand;
But it fills me with elation,
With a fiery exultation,
To hear the piping of a Highland band.

Ah, it sets my pulse to pounding
When the Gaelic pibroch's sounding
Wild and sharp and shrill upon the breeze.
When the drums are rum-tum-tumming,
And down the street are coming
The lads with swinging kilts and naked knees.
For my forbears wore the bonnet
With an eagle feather on it;
The sporran and the kilt of tartan gay,
'Decked in tassel, badge, and thistle,
Armed with claymore, dirk, and pistol,
They fiercely fought in many a bold foray.
I was born afar from Scotland --
I have never seen old Scotland,
But in my veins the Highland blood runs true,
And it sets my heart to thrilling
When I hear the high keen shrilling
Of the pipes played by the lads in bonnets blue.





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