Bendemeer's Stream
Download Midi File
Barry Taylor
Information
Lyrics
Thomas Moore (1779-1852) wrote these lyrics for Bendemeer's Stream. Around 1900 Percy French wrote the lyrics by which the tune is better known - The Mountains of Mourne.

Thomas Moore also wrote lyrics to

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms My Gentle Harp The Minstrel Boy The Pretty Maid Milking a Cow She is Far From the Land.

For a complete list of tunes by Thomas Moore at this site, enter "tmoore" (without the quotes) in the search engine.

There's a bower of roses by Bendemeer's Stream,
And the nightingale sings 'round it all the day long.
In the time of my childhood 'twas sweet like a dream,
To sit by the roses and hear the bird's song.
That bow'r and its music I ne'er can forget,
But oft when alone in the bloom of the year
I think, "Is the nightingale singing there yet?
Are the roses still bright by the calm Bendemeer?"

No, the roses soon withered that hung o'er the wave,
But the blossoms were gathered while freshly they shone,
And the dew was distilled on the flowers that gave
All the fragrance of summer - when summer is gone.
Thus memory draws from delight ere it dies,
An essence that breathes of it many a year.
Thus, bright to my soul as 'twas then to my eyes,
Is that bow'r on the banks of the calm Bendemeer.

Related Links

Thomas Moore (with portrait) Thomas Moore (Links and Chronology) Quotes by Thomas Moore Selected Poetry of Thomas Moore

From
Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Selected and Edited by William Cole
Second verse from
Songs of Ireland
Jerry Silverman
See Bibliography for full information.

[Return to Folk Music Page|Turlough O'Carolan Pages|Contemplations/Main Page]

^^