Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE COUNTY MAYO, by ANTHONY RAFTERY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE COUNTY MAYO, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Now, with the coming in of the spring, the days will stretch a bit
Last Line: For age itself would leave me there, and I'd be young again.
Alternate Author Name(s): Blind Raftery; Raifteiri, Antoine; O Reachtabhra, Antaine
Subject(s): Home; Mayo (county), Ireland


Now, with the coming in of the spring, the days will stretch a bit;
And after the Feast of Brigid I shall hoist my flag and go:
For, since the thought got into my head, I can neither stand nor sit
Until I find myself in the middle of the County of Mayo.

In Claremorris I should stop a night to sleep with decent men;
And then I'd go to Balla, just beyond, and drink galore;
And next I'd stay in Kiltimagh for about a month; and then
I should only be a couple of miles away from Ballymore!

I say and swear that my heart lifts up like the lifting of a tide;
Rising up like the rising wind till fog or mist must go,
When I remember Carra, and Gallen close beside,
And the Gap of the Two Bushes, and the wide plains of Mayo.

To Killaden then, to the place where everything grows that is best;
There are raspberries there, and strawberries there, and
all that is good for men;
And were I only there, among my folk, my heart would rest,
For age itself would leave me there, and I'd be young again.





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