Loreena McKennitt - Raglan Road

On Raglan Road on an autumn day
I met her first and knew
That her dark hair would weave a snare
that I might one day rue;
I saw the danger, yet I walked
along the enchanted way,
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf
at the dawning of the day.

On Grafton Street in November
we tripped lightly along the ledge
Of the deep ravine where can be seen
the worth of passion's pledge,
The Queen of Hearts still making tarts
and I not making hay -
O I loved too much and by such and such
is happiness thrown away.

I gave her gifts of the mind I gave
her the secret sign that's known
To the artists who have known the true
gods of sound and stone
And word and tint. I did not stint
for I gave her poems to say.
With her own name there and her own dark hair
like clouds over fields of May

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet
I see her walking now
Away from me so hurriedly
my reason must allow
That I had wooed not as I should
a creature made of clay -
When the angel woos the clay he'd lose
his wings at the dawn of day

Lyrics: "On Raglan Road" from Patrick Kavanagh
Music: ?
From: Nights from the Alhambra DVD (2007).

Source of the lyrics: Thanks to Peter Brekelmans

The poem "On Raglan Road" from Patrick Kavanagh is set to the tones of an old Irish 'air'. It has been performed by many artists, for example by Luke Kelly and Van Morrison (Irish Heartbeat). [Thanks to Peter Brekelmans for this info.]

Compared to the original poem of Patrick Kavanagh, Loreena adapted the words of her version a bit: she changed the her and she's to him and his, and also two of the sentences were changed in a similar way. [Thanks to Mike for this info.]

 
<=== The Loreena McKennitt main page  /  CD index  /  lyrics index

 
Jos van Geffen -- Home  |  Site Map  |  Contact Me

created: 19 April 2007
last modified: 5 April 2008