Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895.
William Butler Yeats 18651939The Folk of the Air
Yeats-WiO’D
The wild duck and the drake
From the tall and the tufted weeds
Of the drear Heart Lake.
At the coming of night tide,
And he dreamed of the long dim hair
Of Bridget his bride.
A piper piping away,
And never was piping so sad,
And never was piping so gay.
Who danced on a level place,
And Bridget his bride among them,
With a sad and a gay face.
And many a sweet thing said,
And a young man brought him red wine,
And a young girl white bread.
Away from the merry bands,
To old men playing at cards
With a twinkling of ancient hands.
For these were the folk of the air;
He sat and played in a dream
Of her long dim hair.
And thought not of evil chance,
Until one bore Bridget his bride
Away from the merry dance.
The handsomest young man there,
And his neck and his breast and his arms
Were drowned in her long dim hair.
And scattered the cards with a cry;
But the old men and dancers were gone
As a cloud faded into the sky.
And his heart was blackened by dread,
And he ran to the door of his house;
Old women were keening the dead;
A piper piping away;
And never was piping so sad
And never was piping so gay.