The Song of Wandering Aengus

A Yeats poem for Saint Patrick's Day

Yesterday I posted a video of Peaceable Kingdom. The music was written by my bass player Tony Shanahan. Tony’s parents were Irish immigrants, 100% Irish. His late father was a baker and they made hundreds of loaves of sourdough bread for Saint Patricks Day. I always think of Tony on this day and thought to choose a poem by the great Irish poet W.B.Yeats. I chose this lyrical poem as I loved it when I was young. The poem is both hopeful and sad, of unrequited love but also of a dream never abandoned. I hope you like it and read others by this great master.

The Song of Wandering Aengus

I went out to the hazel wood,  
Because a fire was in my head,  
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,  
And hooked a berry to a thread;  
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,  
I dropped the berry in a stream  
And caught a little silver trout.  

When I had laid it on the floor  
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,  
And someone called me by my name:  
It had become a glimmering girl  
With apple blossom in her hair  
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.  

Though I am old with wandering  
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,  
I will find out where she has gone,  
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,  
And pluck till time and times are done,  
The silver apples of the moon,  
The golden apples of the sun.