Venice masks

Monday 23 April 2012

A piper - Seamus O'Sullivan

A piper in the streets today
Set up, and tuned, and started to play,
And away, away, away on the tide
Of his music we started; on every side
Doors and windows were opened wide,
And men left down their work and came,
And women with petticoats coloured like flame.
And little bare feet that were blue with cold,
Went dancing back to the age of gold,
And all the world went gay, went gay,
For half an hour in the street today.
Seamus O'Sullivan (1879 - 1958) Ireland
Source: Verses; sacred and profane, Seamus O'Sullivan, Musnell & Co. Ltd., 1908
Posted by Bruce-the-Sheep at 19:29

9 comments:

  1. Paul26 January 2017 at 15:17

    Hi Bruce
    I discivered this peom today when randomly searching through a poetry index and I too think it's great. I love the line about the 'little bare feet' , its the small details that can make poetry great. It also creates such momentum in such a short few lines. I hope you have time to visit my poetry blog poemsforlifebypaul.blogspot.com. Regards, Paul.

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    Replies
    1. Bruce-the-Sheep27 January 2017 at 10:24

      Thanks for your comment Paul. I shall certainly take a look at your blog.

      Delete
  2. Wendy Ann1 September 2019 at 12:11

    Absolutely Paul, I do so agree, that line is wonderful. I am new to this poem, and it was that line that encouraged me to look for it in an anthology for my grandchildren. Imagine the joy of illustrating it.

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    Replies
    1. Bruce-the-Sheep1 September 2019 at 13:42

      Thanks for your comment Wendy. I don't know about illustrations (which would be great) but it's been set to music several times - see
      http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=12222)

      Delete
  3. Wendy Ann1 September 2019 at 12:14

    I agree Paul, that line is wonderful. I am new to this poem and it was that line that encouraged me to search for it in anthology for my grandchildren. Imagine the joy of illustrating it.

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  4. Bruce-the-Sheep1 September 2019 at 13:41

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Unknown21 January 2020 at 20:28

    learnt this poem at school in the 1950s and have never forgotten it. Paints a lovely picture

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  6. Anonymous25 April 2020 at 15:36

    When I was 10 years old we had to learn poems in class and this was one of my favourites because of its rhythm. It was 1944!

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  7. Anonymous24 June 2023 at 06:24

    Can you share the answers

    ReplyDelete

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