Poems

Your servants take when they are marketing. 

But first sit down and rest yourself awhile, 

For my old fathers served your fathers, lady, 

Longer than books can tell—and it were strange 

If you and yours should not be welcome here.

CATHLEEN

And it were stranger still were I ungrateful 

For such kind welcome—but I must be gone, 

For the night's gathering in.

SHEMUS

It is a long while 

Since I've set eyes on bread or on what buys it.

CATHLEEN

So you are starving even in this wood, 

Where I had thought I would find nothing changed. 

But that's a dream, for the old worm o' the world 

Can eat its way into what place it pleases.

(She gives money.)

TEIG

Beautiful lady, give me something too; 

I fell but now, being weak with hunger and thirst 

And lay upon the threshold like a log.

CATHLEEN

I gave for all and that was all I had. 

Look, my purse is empty. I have passed 

By starving men and women all this day, 

And they have had the rest; but take the purse, 

The silver clasps on't may be worth a trifle. 

But if you'll come to-morrow to my house 

You shall have twice the sum.

(ALEEL begins to play.)

SHEMUS (muttering)

What, music, music!

CATHLEEN

Ah, do not blame the finger on the string; 

The doctors bid me fly the unlucky times 

And find distraction for my thoughts, or else 

Pine to my grave.

SHEMUS

I have said nothing, lady. 

Why should the like of us complain?

OONA

Have done. 

Sorrows that she's but read of in a book 

Weigh on her mind as if they had been her own.

(OONA, MARY, and CATHLEEN go out. ALEEL looks defiantly at SHEMUS.)

ALEEL (singing)

Were I but crazy for love's sake 

I know who'd measure out his length, 

I know the heads that I should break, 

For crazy men have double strength. 

There! all's out now to leave or take, 

And who mocks music mocks at love; 

And when I'm crazy for love's sake 

I'll not go far to choose.

(Snapping his fingers in SHEMUS' face.)

Enough! 

I know the heads that I shall break.

(He takes a step towards the door and then turns again.)

Shut to the door before the night has fallen, 

For who can say what walks, or in what shape 

Some devilish creature flies in the air, but now 

Two grey-horned owls hooted above our heads.

(He goes out, his singing dies away. MARY comes in. SHEMUS has been counting the money.)

SHEMUS

So that fool's gone.

TEIG

He's seen the horned owls too. 

There's no good luck in owls, but it may be 

That the ill luck's to fall upon his head.

MARY

You never thanked her ladyship.

SHEMUS

Thank her, 

For seven halfpence and a silver bit?

TEIG

But for this empty purse?

SHEMUS

What's that for thanks, 

Or what's the double of it that she promised? 

With bread and flesh and every sort of food 

Up to a price no man has heard the like of 

And rising every day.

MARY

We have all she had; 

She emptied out the purse before our eyes.

SHEMUS (to MARY, who has gone to close the door)

Leave that door open.

MARY

When those that have read books, 

And seen the seven wonders of the world, 

Fear what's above or what's below the ground, 

It's time that poverty should bolt the door.

SHEMUS

I'll have no bolts, for there is not a thing 

That walks above the ground or under it 

I had not rather welcome to this house 

Than any more of mankind, rich or poor.

TEIG

So that they brought us money.

SHEMUS

I heard say 

There's something that appears like a white bird, 

A pigeon or a seagull or the like, 

But if you hit it with a stone or a stick 

It clangs as though it had been made of brass, 

And that if you dig down where it was scratching 

You'll find a crock of gold.

TEIG

But dream of gold 

For three nights running, and there's always gold.

SHEMUS

You might be starved before you've dug it out.

TEIG

But maybe if you called, something would come, 

They have been seen of late.

MARY

Is it call devils? 

Call devils from the wood, call them in here?

SHEMUS

So you'd stand up against me, and you'd say 

Who or what I am to welcome here. (He hits her.) 

That is to show who's master.

TEIG

Call them in.

MARY

God help us all!

SHEMUS

Pray, if you have a mind to. 

It's little that the sleepy ears above 

Care for your words; but I'll call what I please.

TEIG

There is many a one, they say, had money from them.

SHEMUS (at door)

Whatever you are that walk the woods at night, 

So be it that you have not shouldered up 

Out of a grave—for I'll have nothing human— 

And have free hands, a friendly trick of speech, 

I welcome you. Come, sit beside the fire. 

What matter if your head's below your arms 

Or you've a horse's tail to whip your flank, 

Feathers instead of hair, that's but a straw, 

Come, share what bread and meat is in the house, 

And stretch your heels and warm them in the ashes. 

And after that, let's share and share alike 

And curse all men and women. Come in, come in. 

What, is there no one there? (Turning from door) 

And yet they say 

They are as common as the grass, and ride 

Even upon the book in the priest's hand.

(TEIG lifts one arm slowly and points toward the door and begins moving backwards. SHEMUS turns, he also sees something and begins moving backward. MARY does the same. A man dressed as an Eastern merchant comes in carrying a small carpet. He unrolls it and sits cross-legged at one end of it. Another man dressed in the same way follows, and sits at the other end. This is done slowly and deliberately. When they are seated they take money out of embroidered purses at their girdles and begin arranging it on the carpet.)