The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #396   Message #249356
Posted By: Amergin
29-Jun-00 - 03:18 PM
Thread Name: Tune Req: Lament of an Irish Immigrant
Subject: Lyr Add: LAMENT OF THE IRISH IMMIGRANT
I found the lyrics:

LAMENT OF THE IRISH IMMIGRANT

I'm sitting on a stile, Mary
Where we once sat side by side
On a bright May morning long ago
When first you were my bride
The corn was springing fresh and green
And the lark sang loud and high
And the red was on your lips Mary
And the love-light in your eyes.

'Tis but a step down yonder lane
The village church stands near.
The place where we were wed, Mary
I can see the spire from here
But the graveyard lies between Mary
And my step might break your rest
Where I laid you darling down to sleep
With a baby on your breast.

I'm very lonely now Mary
For the poor make no new friends
But O, they love the better still
The few our Father sends.
For you were all I had Mary
My blessing and my pride
And I've nothing left to care for now
Since my poor Mary died.

Yours was the good brave heart, Mary
That still kept hoping on
When the trust in God had left my soul
And my arms' young strength had gone
There was comfort ever on your lip
And a kind look on your brow
And I thank you Mary for the same
Though you cannot hear me now.

I'm bidding you a long farewell
My Mary, kind and true
But I'll not forget you, darling
In the land I'm going to
They say there's bread and work for all
And the sun shines always there
But I'll not forget old Ireland
Were it fifty times as fair.

And often in those grand old woods
I'll sit and shut my eyes
And my heart will wander back again
To the place where Mary lies
And I'll think I see that little stile
Where we sat side by side
In the springing corn and the bright
May morn when first you were my bride
And the springing corn and the bright
May morn when first you were my bride.