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A Sleep Song
Translated by anonymous traditional version (in Hull, The Poem-Book of the Gael, 1913) · From The Poem-Book of the Gael (1913)
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
The brown bittern speaks in the bog;
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
The night-jar is abroad on the heath.
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
Kine will go west at dawn of day;
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
And my child will go to the pasture to mind them.
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
Moon will rise and sun will set;
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
Kine will come east at end of day.
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
I will let my child go gathering blackberries,
Deirín dé, Deirín dé!
If he sleep softly till the ring of day!
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Irish Gaelic, later). “A Sleep Song.” Translated by anonymous traditional version. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-irish-gaelic/75/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Irish Gaelic, later). “A Sleep Song.” Translated by anonymous traditional version. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-irish-gaelic/75/.
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