W.B. Yeats (1865–1939). The Wind Among the Reeds. 1899.
5. The Host of the Air
O’D
The wild duck and the drake,
From the tall and the tufted reeds
Of the drear Hart Lake.
At the coming of night tide,
And 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 host 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 out of his dream awoke:
Old men and young men and young girls
Were gone like a drifting smoke;
A piper piping away,
And never was piping so sad,
And never was piping so gay.