The wind that shakes the barley

by Chansons populaires

I sat within a valley green
I sat there with my true love
My sad heart strove the two between
The old love and the new love
The old for her, the new that made
Me think on Ireland dearly
While soft the wind blew down the glade
And shook the golden barley

T'was hard the woeful words to frame
To break the ties that bound us
But harder still to bear the shame
Of foreign chains around us
And so I said : "The mountain glen
I'll meet at morning early
And I'll join the bold United Men"
While soft winds shook the barley

T'was sad I kissed away her tears
My fond arms around her flinging
When a foe, man's that burst on our ears
From out the wild woods ringing
A bullet pierced my true love's side
In life's young spring so early
And on my breast in blood she died
While soft winds shook the barley

[I bore her to some mountain stream
And many's the summer blossom
I placed with branches soft and green
About her gore-stained bosom
I wept and kissed her clay-cold corpse
Then rushed o'er vale and valley
My vengeance on the foe to wreak
While soft winds shook the barley]

But blood for blood without remorse
I've ta'en at Oulart Hollow
I've lain my true love's clay like corpse
Where I full soon may follow
Around her grave I've wandered drear
Noon, night and morning early
With breaking heart when e'er I hear
The wind that shakes the barley