A Dramatic Poem

    t s t of tage is t,

    deal of the sky and sea

    on t side. tiller is at t of tage; it is a long oar

    coming the deck rises in a

    series of steps iller, and tern of the ship curves

    overhe

    deck. Aibric stands by tiller. Forgael sleeps upon the raised

    portion of to of tage. two Sailors

    are standing near to t, on which a harp is hanging.

    First Sailor.  led us into te seas

    For long enough?

    Second Sailor. Aye, long and long enough.

    First Sailor. e  come upon a shore or ship

    these dozen weeks.

    Sccond Sailor. And I  to make

    A good round Sum upon turn -

    For I am getting on in life - to something

    t han robbery.

    First Sailor. I am so tired of being bachelor

    I could give all my  to t Red Moll

    t  the one eye.

    Second Sailor. Can no bec

    transform to women

    t I may drown myself?

    First Sailor. Better steer home,

    ter still

    to take him while he sleeps and carry him

    And drop he gunnel.

    Second Sailor. I dare not do it.

    eret not t there is magic in his harp,

    I  w

    Strange creatures flutter up before ones eyes,

    Or cry about ones ears.

    First Sailor. Noto fear.

    Second Sailor. Do you remember w

    galley

    At the full moon?

    First Sailor. .

    Second Sailor. Until t; and when I looked

    ed, I could see a bird

    Like a grey gull upon t of each.

    hey rose hurriedly,

    And after circling range cries awhile

    Fleime since then

    Ive ling overhe wind.

    First Sailor. I sa night as well as you.

    But wen and drunk myself asleep

    My courage came again.

    Second Sailor. But ts not all.

    t, w,

    A beautiful young man and girl came up

    In a he look

    Of t are alive for ever and ever.

    First Sailor. I saoo, one night. Forgael was

    playing,

    And tening the sail.

    see t I  my hands

    to grasp the woman.

    Second Sailor. You o touch her?

    First Sailor. O s a shadow, and slipped from

    me.

    Second Sailor. But  afraid?

    First Sailor. hy should I fear?

    Second Sailor. quot;the wandering

    lovers,

    to whom all lovers pray.

    First Sailor. But ?

    A s carry sword or spear.

    Second Sailor. My motold me t t one

    Of the Ever-living half so dangerous

    As t wild Aengus. Long before her day

    he carried Edain off from a kings house,

    And s of jeone

    And in a to day

    ed every man ts not in love,

    And o him.

    First Sailor. I have heard

    e seafarers as es

    Peaceable men t s the wind away,

    And keep to the one weary marriage-bed.

    Second Sailor. I t ,

    And drags he sea,

    First Sailor ell, net or none,

    Id dro.

    Second Sailor. Its certain Id sleep easier o nights

    If  wain,

    Judge of tars, and find a course for us?

    First Sailor. Ive t of t. e must have Aibric

    h us,

    For ars as well as Forgael.

    [Going towards Aibric.]

    Become our captain, Aibric. I am resolved

    to make an end of Forgael while he sleeps.

    t a man but

    is over, nor one to grumble at us.

    Aibric. You aken pay and made your bargain for it.

    First Sailor.  good is this hard way of

    living,

    Unless we drain more flagons in a year

    And kiss more lips ting peaceable men

    In troop

    And take tains shing

    And bring us into populous seas again?

    Aibric. Be of your troop! Aibric be one of you

    And Forgael in ther scale! kill Forgael,

    And er from my childhood up!

    If you  s of its scabbard

    Ill give my answer.

    First Sailor. You have awakened him.

    [to Second Sailor.]

    ed better go, for his chance.

    [t.]

    Forgael. he birds passed us? I could hear your

    voice,

    But thers.

    Aibric. I hing pass.

    Forgael. Youre certain of it? I never wake from sleep

    But t I am afraid they may have passed,

    For ts. If I lost them

    Straying too far into th,

    Id never come upon the happiness

    t  seen them

    t t be many

    Dying at every moment in the world,

    And flying toheir peace.

    Aibric. Put by ts,

    And listen to me for a whe sailors

    Are plotting for your death.

    Forgael.  given

    More rico find?

    And no follow, while I seek

    t  my fancy.

    Aibric.  rice sea

    s alive

    those man-headed birds,

    Kno for the worlds end?

    Forgael. he world ends

    t finds

    Miracle, ecstasy, the impossible hope,

    tone under all, the fire of fires,

    ts of the world.

    Aibric. Shadows before now

    ravellers mad for t.

    Forgael. Do you, too, doubt me? heir

    plot?

    Aibric. No, no, do not say t. You kno well

    t I  a  you.

    Forgael. ,

    Being as doubtful?

    Aibric. I er

    too many years to lift a  you.

    Forgael. Maybe it is but natural to doubt me.

    Youve never kno,

    A melanc a cup of wine,

    A lucky battle, or a womans kiss

    Could not amend.

    Aibric. I s enough.

    Forgael. If you will give me all your mind awhile -

    All, all, ttom of the bowl -

    Ill s I am made differently,

    t not but ters,

    s of the world -

    do you call it? - t old promise-breaker,

    tune-teller t comes whispering,

    quot;You will have all you have wished for when you have

    earned

    Land for your c.-

    And w we are no happier,

    Because of t old draughe door,

    Or creaky s the end of all

    ter off the fool,

    t never did a urn? Aibric! Aibric!

    e he Ever-living

    Breathe world

    And t h ivory hands and sigh,

    And find ter ser to taste

    For t brief sighing.

    Aibric. If you had loved some woman -

    Forgael. You say t also? You he voices,

    For t is he shadows -

    Aengus and Edain, te wanderers,

    And all t it must be love

    As t. Nos out;

    For it is love t I am seeking for,

    But of a beautiful, unheard-of kind

    t is not in the world.

    Aibric. And yet the world

    iful o please every man.

    Forgael. But  gets ter the fashion

    quot;Loves in brief longing and deceiving hope

    And bodily tenderness, and finds t even

    t in tion

    o be the giver of all peace,

    Is no more tasting,

    And as soon finished.

    Aibric. All t ever loved

    her way.

    Forgael. Yet never  they

    believed t hand,

    And almost  because t find it.

    Aibric. y years; in middle life

    take a kiss for h,

    And let the dream go by.

    Forgael. Its not a dream,

    But ty t makes our passion

    As a lamp she sun.

    ting for

    Must be substantial somewhere.

    Aibric. I he Druids

    Mutter sucrance.

    It may be t t -

    No mortal can.

    Forgael. Yes; if they give us help.

    Aibric. tting you as t

    t ell his fellows

    t  upon the hills,

    Riding to tle-

    ithe Ever-living.

    Forgael.  if ruth,

    And for a dozen

    Of t more powerful life?

    Aibric, ter.

    seen him lying like a log,

    Or fumbling in a dream about the house?

    And if ster of wild riders,

    S it  t-horse coughing

    t set o the fancy.

    Forgael. All would be well

    Could  give us he dreams,

    And get into t to the sense

    Is s linger chedly

    Among substantial t is dreams

    t lift us to the flowing, changing world

    t t longs for.  is love itself,

    Even t be test of light love,

    But dreams t he world

    to make low laug and drink,

    t but set us sighing? Fellow-wanderer,

    Could  mix ourselves into a dream,

    Not in its image on the mirror!

    Aibric. hile

    ere in ts impossible.

    Forgael. And yet I cannot theyre leading me

    to deat promised to me love

    As t can outlive t,

    otal life gat seemed,

    Into t teachers.

    Aengus and Edain ran up out of the wave -

    Youd never doubt t it hey promised

    o face as I did,

    it,

    And having such wide-open, shining eyes.

    Aibric. Its certain to death.

    None but t never lived,

    Can kno ecstasy. Forgael! Forgael!

    the man-headed birds,

    And you old me t their journey lies

    tory of the dead.

    Forgael.  matter

    If I am going to my deathere,

    Or somewhey have

    promised.

    t mucain. I shall find a woman.

    One of think -

    One of the Laughing People - and she and I

    S upon a place in the worlds core,

    o be a ching,

    Like charmed apples made of chrysoprase,

    Or ce;

    And t and sense,

    Become one movement, energy, delight,

    Until thened moon is dead.

    [A number of Sailors entcr hurriedly.]

    First Sailor. Look t! a ship of spice!

    And  on her!

    Second Sailor. e  known

    But for the ambergris and sandalwood.

    First Sailor. NO; but opoponax and cinnamon.

    Forgael [taking tiller from Aibric]. the Ever-living have

    kept my bargain for me,

    And paid you on the nail.

    Aibric. take up t rope

    to make  while we are plundering her.

    First Sailor. there is a king and queen upon her deck,

    And whers.

    Aibric. Speak loheyll hear.

    First Sailor. t hear;

    too busy her. Look!

    ooped down and kissed he lips.

    Second Sailor.  er men

    aboard

    S be too sorry in the end.

    First Sailor. S; for these queens

    Care more about the kegs of silver and gold

    And t come to them in marriage,

    trong body and a ready hand.

    Second Sailor. tural but a robber,

    And t is ters about

    Upon its bandy legs.

    Aibric. Run at them now,

    And overpo asleep!

    [t.]

    lt;1[Voices and the

    ot be seen because of the sail.]

    A Voice. Armed men have come upon us! O I am slain!

    Another Voice. ake all below!

    Another Voice. hy have you broken our sleep?

    First Voice. Armed men have come upon us! O I am

    slain!

    Forgael [iller]. they

    come! Gull, gannet, or diver,

    But h a mans head, or a fair womans,

    thead awhile

    to  t wheir friends have

    come

    t secret heirs.

    One - and one - a couple - five together;

    And I e.

    Yes, voices! but I do not catche words.

    Now I can  says,

    quot; we are, now we are co birds!

    Anot;Maybe we shall find

    Our s desire no .

    And ther how he died,

    And says, quot;A sword-blade pierced me in my sleep.-

    And nohey all wheel suddenly and fly

    to the air.

    And noh a womans head

    dGmes crying, quot;I he sword.

    I o my beloved in the air,

    In te of t we may wander

    Among the dawn.

    But ing? whey

    Circling and circling over thead?

    po is more mighan desire

    to o their hidden happiness

    ithe Ever-living Ones

    A meaning in t circling overhead?

    But .] hy do you

    linger there?

    o your desire,

    Are you not happy winged bodies now?

    [his voice sinks again.]

    Being too busy in the high air,

    t  he meaning?

    lt;1[turned. Dectora is hem.]

    Forgael [turning and seeing ;1 anding

    h your eyes upon me?

    You are not the worlds core. O no, no, no!

    t cannot be the birds.

    You are not its core. My teethe world,

    But  bitten yet.

    Dectora. I am a queen,

    And ask for satisfaction upon these

    ho have slain my husband and laid hands upon me.

    [Breaking loose from the Sailors who are holding her.]

    Let go my hands!

    Forgael.  a shadow?

    you to this

    place?

    t send me one t casts a shadow.

    Dectora. ould t torm t overthrew my ships,

    And droreasures of nine conquered nations,

    And bleing sorrow,

    , being yet alive,

    I ask a fitting punis for all

    t raised t him.

    Forgael. there are some

    t weige seas -

    t s in life,

    And all t prophesying images

    Made of dim gold rave out in secret tombs;

    t t the plans of kings and queens

    But laugears - lauger, and tears;

    t every man should carry his own soul

    Upon his shoulders.

    Dectora. Youve not wild words,

    And I would know if you will give me vengeance.

    Forgael.  I  let her go -

    .

    Dectora.  is it t you are muttering -

    t youll not let me go? I am a queen.

    Forgael. Altiful than any,

    I almost long t it were possible;

    But if I o put you on t ship,

    it o do your will,

    And you had spread a sail for home, a wind

    ould rise of a sudden, or a wave so huge

    It ars and put t,

    And beat the bulwark of your ship on mine,

    Until you stood before me on the deck -

    As now.

    Dectora. Does e seas

    And listening to the cry of wind and wave

    Bring madness?

    Forgael. Queen, I am not mad.

    Dectora. Yet say

    t unimaginable storms of wind and wave

    ould rise against me.

    Forgael. No, I am not mad -

    If it be not t hearing messages

    From lasting c outlive the moon,

    At t quiet midnigo be stricken.

    Dectora. And did tcake me

    captive?

    Forgael. Botaken in t.

    It  plucked the winds awake

    And blew you hs have

    promised

    I sal fashion;

    And for they gave me my old harp

    t is more mighe sun and moon,

    Or ting-net of tars,

    t none migake you from me.

    lt;1Dectora [first trembling back from t whe harp is,

    and t;1 For a moment

    Your raving of a message and a harp

    More migars roubled me,

    But all ts raving. here can compel

    ter and ter of kings

    to be his bedfellow?

    Forgael. Until your lips

    kiss them.

    Dectora. My  my feet,

    And yet you talk of love.

    Forgael. t of time

    Is s one does

    One moment  upon t

    t folloer.

    Dectora. I understand you now.

    You  of wicked sound

    rung from the sea -

    A magic t can call a demon up,

    Until my body give you kiss for kiss.

    Forgael. Your soul she kiss.

    Dectora. I am not afraid,

    o run into a noose

    Or o dro I h words,

    And I would o my face

    And kno it is fearless.

    Forgael. Do w you will,

    For neither I nor you can break a mesh

    Of t golden net t is about us.

    Dectora. ts h a

    fear.

    lt;1[Sands for a moment looking into

    ;1

    I  t.

    [So t of the poop.]

    And now

    I can put fear away as a queen should.

    lt;1[Ss on to turns towards

    Forgael.]gt;1

    Fool, fool! Alto my face

    You do not see my purpose. I shall have gone

    Before a ouch me.

    Forgael [folding ill;

    t you will,

    You cannot leap out of t.

    First Sailor. No need to drown, for, if you will pardon

    us

    And measure out a course and bring us home,

    ell put to death.

    Dectora. I promise it.

    First Sailor. to take his side.

    Aibric. I am on his side,

    Ill strike a blow for o give ime

    to cast his dreams away.

    lt;1[Aibric goes in front of Forgael h drawn sword. For-

    gael takes t;1

    First Sailor. No ot.

    lt;1[throw Aibric on one side. he falls and lies

    upon t to strike Forgael,gt;1

    lt;1o play tage begins to

    darken. tate in fear.]

    Second Sailor.gt;1  a sudden darkness over the

    moon.

    Dectora. Nine sh handles of rhinoceros horn

    to  strikes !

    First Sailor. I rike .

    lt;1[o Forgael ed.]

    [S t moon out

    of the sky,

    And carries it between us.

    Second Sailor. holy fire

    to burn us to trike.

    Dectora. Ill give a golden galley full of fruit,

    t he heady flavour of new wine,

    to  h.

    First Sailor. Ill do it.

    For all his spells will vanish when he dies,

    heir life in him.

    Second Sailor. t be the moon

    t here,

    I rike at him.

    thers. And I! And I! And I!

    [Forgael plays the harp.]

    First Sailor [falling into a dream suddenly. But you were

    saying there is somebody

    Upon t oto wake.

    You did not know w brougo his end,

    But it was sudden.

    Second Sailor. You are in t;

    I ten t  go wake him.

    Dectora. he air,

    And set you dreaming.

    Second Sailor. how can we have a wake

    her brown nor yellow ale?

    First Sailor. I saw a flagon of brown ale aboard her.

    t do not

    know

    name to call him by?

    First Sailor. Come to his ship.

    o our ts in a minute.

    I kno housand years ago,

    And  yet been waked.

    Second Sailor [beginning to keen]. Ohone! O! O! O!

    to two,

    And all ttered.

    All the Sailors. O! O! O! O!

    [t keening.]

    Dectora. Protect me no my people swear by.

    lt;1[Aibric he deck where he had fallen. he

    ;1

    Aibric.  fell out of my hand

    is!

    lt;1[o Dectora runs at

    it and takes it up before .]gt;1

    Aibric [sleepily]. Queen, give it me.

    Dectora. No, I .

    Aibric.  you may keep it.

    No ,

    For everything is gone.

    A Sailor [calling from ther, Aibric,

    And tell me  we are waking.

    Aibric [o Dectora, o  name had

    t dead king? Artain?

    No, no - not Arthur. I remember now.

    It was golden-armed Iollan, and he died

    Broken-ed,  his queen

    t is not all tale,

    For he was killed. O! O! O! O! O! O!

    For golden-armed Iollan has been killed.

    lt;1[.]

    [ of w

    follows, one he

    otora stands ed in

    front of Forgael.]gt;1

    Dectora. I ant.

    lt;1[he sword

    slos it fall. S her hair.

    Sakes off  upon t;1

    to lie beside he grave.

    It les. I will spread my hair,

    And erly,

    For I  he was proud and laughing,

    Blue-eyed, and a quick runner on bare feet,

    And t housand years ago.

    O; O! O! O!

    [Forgael cune.]

    But no, t is not it.

    t my feet. O! O! O! O!

    For golden-armed Iollan t I loved-

    But  t made me say I loved him?

    It   it in my ts,

    But it is true. hey run upon him,

    And beat t heir swords?

    Forgael. Do you not know me, lady? I am he

    t you are weeping for.

    Dectora. No, for he is dcad.

    O! O! O! O! for golden-armed Iollan.

    Forgael. It , but I will prove

    t the grave-diggers in a dreamy frenzy

    my golden arms.

    Listen to t lohe moon

    And you  my face and voice,

    For you ened to me playing it

    thousand years.

    lt;1[arts up, listening to the harp slips from

    the bulwarks

    be;1

    are t there?

    ter of a sudden?

    are you calling out above t?

    If railing and reproach and mockery

    Because I o love

    By magic strings, Ill make to it:

    Being driven on by voices and by dreams

    t he Ever-living,

    I .  could I but obey?

    And yet you make a clamour of reproach.

    Dcctora [laugs a  of reckoning

    t I she moon

    to ty.

    Forgael.  she is merry?

    But no, no, no! your cry is not against me.

    You knohe Ever-living,

    And all t tossing of your wings is joy,

    And all t murmurings but a marriage-song;

    But if it be reproachis:

    t one among you t made love

    by any ot passion,

    Consideration, generosity;

    But it , and flattery

    to win a woman in e,

    For love is red in it;

    And if you say t she came willingly -

    Dectora. urn away and hide your face,

    t I would look upon for ever?

    Forgael. My grief!

    Dectora.  loved you for a thousand years?

    Forgael. I never have been golden-armed Iollan.

    Vectora. I do not understand. I know your face

    Better than my own hands.

    Forgael. I have deceived you

    Out of all reckoning.

    tectora. Is it not tme

    t you housand years ago,

    In islands whe children of Aengus wind

    In happy dances under a windy moon,

    And t youll bring me there?

    Forgael. I have deceived you;

    I terly.

    Dectora.  be?

    Is it t though your eyes are full of love

    Some other woman has a claim on you,

    And Ive but half!

    Forgael. O no!

    Dectora. And if there is,

    If t matter?

    Ill never give anot to it;

    No, no, nor ; but do not speak.

    omen are ubborn-ed,

    turned tery;

    And t is wheir lovers are afraid

    to tell tory.

    Forgael. ts not tory;

    But I  a  you,

    t it  burst.

    I  all.

    Dectora.  do I care,

    No my body o dream,

    And you o be a burning sod

    In tion and intellect?

    If somets most fabulous rue -

    If you aken me by magic spells,

    And killed a lover or  my feet -

    I  let you speak, for I would know

    t it erday and not to-day

    I loved him; I would cover up my ears,

    As I am doing now. [A pause.] hy do you weep?

    Forgael. I hing for your eyes

    But desolate ers and a battered ship.

    Dectora. O  your eyes to mine?

    Forgael. I s above,

    And not a roof of ivory and gold.

    Dectora. I he ivory roof,

    And strike th my hands.

    I  the world

    But my beloved - t night and day had perished,

    And all t is and all t is to be,

    All t is not ting of our lips.

    Forgael. You turn away. urn away?

    Am I to fear the moon

    My enemy?

    Dectora. I looked upon the moon,

    Longing to knead and pull it into shape

    t I mig on your head as a crown.

    But no is your ts t wander away,

    For you are looking at t know

    a  is to let ones t

    ander a moment when one is in love?

    lt;1[

    over t;1

    the sea?

    Forgael. Look there!

    Dectora.  is t a troop of ash-grey birds

    t fly into t?

    Forgael. But listen, listen!

    Dectora.  is t the birds?

    Forgael. If youll but listen closely to t crying

    Youll  to one another

    ith human voices

    Dectora. O, I can hem now.

    are to ry do they fly?

    Forgael. to unimaginable happiness.

    the air,

    But no taken to the road

    e o follos;

    And t the colour of grey ash,

    t, could you but heir words,

    quot;try at the world

    to outlive the moon.

    lt;1[t

    excitement.]gt;1

    First Sailor. treasure.

    Second Sailor. Full to tches.

    First Sailor. treasure on treasure.

    third Sailor. Boxes of precious spice.

    First Sailor. Ivory images  eyes.

    th eyes of ruby.

    First Sailor. the whole ship

    Flas  of herrings.

    ts o a

    woman.

    Second Sailor. t

    eyes to.

    Aibric [silencing ture]. e urn to

    our ory, Forgael,

    For s so great

    Imagination cannot reckon it.

    And  upon there,

    more o look for on the seas?

    Forgael. I cannot - I am going on to the end.

    As for th me.

    Aibric. t no,

    It his woman in her womans vengeance

    t drove you to it, and I fool enough

    to fancy t shed bring you home again.

    t egged o it, for you know

    t o h.

    Dectora. t is not true, for he has promised me

    An unimaginable happiness.

    Aibric. And if t han dreams,

    More t-whirl,

    t I t is,

    It sry of the dead,

    If try.

    Dectora. No, not there,

    But in some island whe world

    Leaps upreams o the world

    o one fountain.

    Aibric. Speak to him.

    aking you to death;

    Speak -  deny it.

    Dectora. Is t true?

    Forgael. I do not knoain, but I know.

    t I  of pilots.

    Aibric. Shadows, illusions,

    t the Ever-laughing Ones,

    tal Mockers  into his mind,

    Or called before his eyes.

    Dectora. O carry me

    to some sure country, some familiar place.

    everyt life can give

    In her?

    Forgael.

    If I refused ts

    its and all t crying out?

    Dectora. But I will cover up your eyes and ear?,

    t you may never he birds,

    Or look upon them.

    Forgael. ere t lowlier

    Id do your  too oo high.

    Dectora. Being too heir heady prophecies

    But  come to nothing,

    Because  proud, imperishable,

    Alone and winged.

    Forgael. Our love sheirs

    their changeless image on.

    Dectora. I am a  every breath.

    Aibric. Let tter, for tree is broken,

    And to the Sailors.]

    to ther ship,

    And I  the rope

    o this man here,

    For neither I nor any living man

    ill look upon his face again.

    [t.]

    Forgael [to Dectora], Go h him,

    For er you and bring you home.

    Aibric [taking Forgaels  for his sake.

    Dectora. No. take this sword

    And cut th Forgael.

    Aibric [o the yew-bough has been

    broken into two,

    And all ttered - O! O! O!

    Farewell! farewell! [.]

    Dectora. the rope -

    t falls into the sea,

    It  worm,

    Dragon t loved to it,

    You are broken, you are broken. ts

    away,

    And I am left alone h my beloved,

    put me from  for ever.

    e are alone for ever, and I laugh,

    Forgael, because you cannot put me from you.

    t he heavens, and you and I

    Shis crown -

    I  has been in my dreams.

    Bend lo I may cro.

    O flohe leaves,

    O silver fis my two aken

    Out of tream, O morning star

    trembling in te fawn

    Upon ty border of the wood,

    Bend lo I may cover you h my hair,

    For his world no longer.

    Forgael [gatoras  him]. Beloved, hav-

    ing dragged t about us,

    And knitted meso mesal;

    And t old self

    to cry aloud to the grey birds, and dreams,

    t her, live in us.