There is a blue lake far away

Set round with honeyed meads

Where little breezes laugh and play

Among the lisping reeds.

A jewel of a turquoise lake

Blue as a pidgeon's wing

Where little waves in music break

And shadowy waters sing.

And in the midst a flowery isle

Enchantment's fairy home,

Where shy wood blossoms sweetly smile

And shy wood creatures roam.

A place to soothe a poet's heart

With balm of leaf and sod

From tumult of the world apart,

A place to dream of God.

The iris lifts a purple plume

In oozy marsh and pool,

The flame-bright marigolds illume

The birchen shadows cool.

The gold bees hum the meadows through,

The darting dragon-fly

In brilliant mail of burnished blue

On quazy wings flits by.

The water-hen has there her home

Mid lily-pads and reeds,

The heron wades the creamy foam

That laps the fringing meads.

The skylark hangs on flickering wing

And pours from heaven his lay,

And finch and linnet flute and sing

For joy the live-long day.

The hazels whisper to the moon,

The birches to the sun,

The flaggers shiver as they croon

Where vagrant breezes run.

The blossom of the sloe is white

And pink the wild-rose bloom,

And azure day and purple night

And filled with mild perfume.

There to the fortress of the wave

For peace of soul divine

Fled ancient prince and warrior brave

Of Connaught's kingly line.

From royal court and castle rude

Brehon and bard and chief

Beneath the wood!s beatitude

Found refuge and relief.

Acknowledgement PJ Coleman. MA.

© Cathal Henry 2003