There never was any music
In the golden throat of a bird,
More fine and clear than the piping
That in dreams I heard
Cry through the Heart Lake's rushes,
And falter and fade away,
Like odours of thyme one crushes
In the heat of the day.
There never was any piping
So sweet and tender and gay,
It came like the wind, and lightly
It blew away —
It laughed and it grew not weary,
It sighed and was sweeter yet,
It sang for the hope of Eri
And her heavy fret.
There never was any piping
So merry and none so sad,
For it sang of a far green island
Where, scarlet-clad,
All under the druid quicken,
Wild dancers gather and go,
And under the oaks, unstricken,
Feeds Saav, the doe.
And when silence took the piping,
"It's O to be there," I cried,
"To dance with no thought of grieving
For joy that died —
To dance, and be never weary
For night or day,
With the kindliest folk of Eri
Till the dew's away.
Sweet, sweet is the twilight dancing,
Not sweet is the homespun day."
But the dawn through the rushes glancing
Drove my dream away.
We are busy working to bring Nora Hopper Chesson's "Ceol-Sidhe" to life through our unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you soon.
At V2Melody, each arrangement is crafted with care through a thoughtful partnership of human artistry and technological innovation. This process involves:
This creative journey takes time—each composition represents hours of dedicated work to create something that deepens our connection to Nora Hopper Chesson's words in meaningful ways.
While you wait for our complete interpretation, we invite you to explore other musical arrangements in our gallery or learn more about Nora Hopper Chesson's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Ceol-Sidhe" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.
Click the button below to print a cloze exercise of the poem critique. This exercise is designed for classroom use.