Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Composite volume > Ballad poetry of Ireland

OF IRELAND. 149
They sink together silent, and stealing side to side.
They fling their lovely arms o'er their drooping necks
so fair,
Then vainly strive again their naked arms to hide,
For their shrinking necks again are bare.
Thus clasped and prostrate all, with their heads together
bowed,
Soft o'er their bosom's beating — ^the only human
sound —
They hear the silky footsteps of the silent fairy crowd,
Like a river in the air, gliding roimd.
Nor scream can any raise, uor prayer can any say,
But wild, wild, the terror of the speechless three—
For they feel fair Anna Grace drawn silently away.
By whom they dare not look to see.
They feel their tresses twine with her parting locks of
gold,
And the curls elastic falling, as her head withdraws ;
They feel her sliding arms from their tranced arms
unfold,
But they dare not look to see the cause :
For heavy on their senses the faint enchantment lies
Through all that night of anguish and perilous amaze ;
And neither fear nor wonder can ope their quivering
eyes
Or their limbs from the cold ground raise.
Till out of Night the Earth has rolled her dewy side,
With every haunted mountain and streamy vale below;
When, as the mist dissolves in the yellow morning tide,
The maidens' trance dissolveth so.
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