The Queen
I saw her many years ago, my gladness and my grief.
She stood amongst the barley fields to bind the wayward sheaf.
She walked upon the mountain’s side to draw the brown turf home,
She planted many famine crops within the peaty loam.
From rugged rocks and silver shore she gathered grey sloakeen.
She made the green earth brown again, and made the brown earth green.
She wearied in those striving years from morning until night.
Her fields grew wide, her stately home shone in the morning light.
But O, those hours of yesterday, mo storeen and mo crie,
I saw her turn her face away to hide her grief from me.
I flew to her a while ago, my thousand joys—so dear;
For ruin fell upon her house and I was full of fear.
I saw wild fury seize her home, I heard a red wind scream,
I saw the groaning roof-tree fall, the flame on wall and beam.
I fell upon the broken way, struck down by chill despair
‘My life’s long love, my only joy, my dear beyond compare,
A thousand souls will bleed with mine, a thousand hearts expire,
To see so fair a form as thine upon a martyr’s fire.’
From out the glow, from out the flame, from ruin fierce and wild,
I saw her come with dancing feet and glad face like a child,
Her red-gold hair, her snow-white brow, her gown of silken green
Out through the ruins of her home, she walked as would a queen.
Ni Houlihan, Ni Houlihan, she came a splendid queen.
