Uilleann those pipes they are that cry
my bardic heart for me,
and delve historic my blood-deep memories,
as I in mystic interplay
listen to Chieftains’ haunting harmonies.

Fingers singing his strings to my soul,
the cruitire in his playing carries me
to Hill of Tara, there to hear it plucked primal,
and give me eyes to sweep
the ancient landscape round.

Vibrant Fiddle with ringing Tiompan joins
Pennywhistle trilling bright to dance me joyous
‘long the edge of kills with rowans lined,
and into greening valleys hazed
with morning’s lifting mists.

Bodhran beating time and the lilting vocals baritone,
strikes my rhythm Gaelic in the bones
and attunes my lyric heart
to chop of Loch nEathach’s waves
‘gainst clinker hulls and pulling oars.

Cor Anglais and wooden flute caress
my ears with deep and woodland sounds,
then sweeps me the fertile meadows ‘or
with tunes as old as runes once carved
on Celtic Cross where faith abides.

And all this sweet melancholy rises
strong in Irish melodies renewed,
as the new-played ancient music
carries me ancestral
to Contae Ard Mhacha.



James Gagiikwe © 2008

NOTES:

Uilleann pipes:Irish 'elbow' Bagpipes, pronounced:  ‘ilən
The Chieftains: Irish music group
Cruitire: Irish Harp player
Tiompan: struck dulcimer
Bodhran: goat or sheepskin drum
Lilting: a vocal form that helps set rhythm
Cor Anglais: large oboe
Hill of Tara: ancient Irish royal seat
rowan: mountain ash
kills: lakes
Contae Ard Mhacha/County Armagh
Loch nEathach/Lough Neagh, largest lake in Ireland. Traditional working boats on Lough Neagh include wide-beamed 16–21ft clinker-built, sprit-rigged working boats and smaller flat-bottomed "cots" and "flats". The shallow lake can become very rough.