 | The Irish Poems of Alfred Perceval Graves |  |
120
THE IRISH REEL
While ould Phelim o'er his fiddle
Flourishes his famous bow,
Lad and lass along the middle
All salute and rank in row.
“Are yez full arranged and ready?”
“Ready, Phelim, heart and heel!”
“Off then, all!” and, smart and steady,
Twenty couple step the reel.
Flourishes his famous bow,
Lad and lass along the middle
All salute and rank in row.
“Are yez full arranged and ready?”
“Ready, Phelim, heart and heel!”
“Off then, all!” and, smart and steady,
Twenty couple step the reel.
Whisper, Phelim, from the fairies
Underneath the midnight moon
Leadin' up their light vagaries
Have you stole that lovely tune?
Since each dancer's foot it follows
Up and down the magic chime,
For the world like slender swallows
Racin' in the meadow rime.
Underneath the midnight moon
Leadin' up their light vagaries
Have you stole that lovely tune?
Since each dancer's foot it follows
Up and down the magic chime,
For the world like slender swallows
Racin' in the meadow rime.
At the double, at the treble,
How the lads they leap and slide,
Whilst the women wid their skimmin'
Teach the very swans to glide.
Glancin' shyly, blushin' coyly,
Arm to waist, around we wheel,
Boys, between us all and Venus,
What could best our Irish Reel?
At the double, at the treble,
We go dancin', heart and heel.
Boys, between us all and Venus,
What could best our Irish Reel?
How the lads they leap and slide,
Whilst the women wid their skimmin'
Teach the very swans to glide.
Glancin' shyly, blushin' coyly,
Arm to waist, around we wheel,
Boys, between us all and Venus,
What could best our Irish Reel?
At the double, at the treble,
We go dancin', heart and heel.
Boys, between us all and Venus,
What could best our Irish Reel?
| The Irish Poems of Alfred Perceval Graves | |