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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


HUSH SONG by MARY ANNE O'REILLY

First Line: REST ASTHOREEN, DOWN THE BOREEN
Last Line: ANGELS CARE THEE--LULLA LO!

Written to an old Irish air found in C. Villiers
Stanford's collection

Rest asthoreen, down the boreen
Come the cows a mooing low,
Eve is falling, birds are calling,
So their mates to sleep may go.

We'll go boating, gently floating
On dream river, shoheen sho!
By the meadows where the shadows
Gleam and darken, come and go.

Husha-bye, O! Closer lie, O!
Closer lie to mother's breast,
Awake or sleeping, in God's keeping
May my baby always rest.

Through the rushes, 'mong the bushes
Winds are whispering soft and low,
While my pleasure--to my treasure
Is to croon--hush O! hush O!

The sailing's over, under cover
Hides thy blue eyes' dewy glow,
Sprite nor fairy ne'er shall scare thee,
Angels care thee--lulla lo!



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