The Caoining Women

Women with black shawls sway

Over coffin brown

By the house on the hill

Outside the cold town.

Women with black shawls caoin

Mournful, piercing,

By Kilellan the sea

Sorrows unceasing.

Lonely the seagulls cry,

The curlews call,

Sadly her shepherd dog

By the bleak wall.

Loved she the April rain,

The wind to kiss her.

Loved she the dancing,

How dancing will miss her.

Her friend was the moon,

The sun smiled her light.

And now she will walk

Among stars at night

Sweet she as Deidre,

The heart of corn,

Hair gold as sun-dust

At lark-song in morn.

White her pure breast as

Foam on the billows,

Gentle her voice was

As wind among willows.

Before her the swallows skimmed,

The hare was not wary.

But the Father grew Lonely,

And Joseph and Mary.

Women stop swaying and

The coffin brown.

Is borne by mute men to

The grave in the town.

She sways where long rest

On mountainy shoulders

By wind-wrinkled pools and

Gray moss-faced boulders.

Seagulls and curlews cry,

Mournful, piercing.

By Kilellan the Sea

Sorrows unceasing.

E. Sigerson Clifford (1937)