A Ballad of Dreamland

Forum Meditativer Tanz - Folklore - Sakraler Tanz
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The Celtic "Lullaby"
Tunes out of an Other World
A Ballad of Dreamland
to our German translation

......... I hid my heart in a nest of roses,
Out of the sun´s way, hidden apart;
In a softer bed than the soft white snow´s is,
Under the roses I hid my heart.
Why would it sleep not? why should it start,
When never a leaf of the rose-tree stirred?
What made sleep fludder his wings and part?
Only the song of a secret bird.
Lie still, I said, for the wind´s wing closes,
And mild leaves muffle the keen sun´s dart;
Lie still, for the wind on the warm sea dozes,
And the wind is unquieter yet than thou art.
Does a tought in thee still as a thorn´s wound smart?
Does the fang still fret thee of hope deferred?
What bids the lids of thy sleep dispart?
Only the song of a secret bird.
The green land´s name that a charm encloses,
It never was writ in a traveller´s chart,
And sweet on its trees as the fruit that grows is,
It never was sold in the merchant´s mart.
The swallows of dreams through its dim fields dart,
And sleep´s are the tunes in its tree-tops heard;
No hound´s note wakens the wildwood hart,
Only the song of a secret bird.
In the world of dreams I have chosen my part,
To sleep for a season and hear no word
Of true love´s truth or of light love´s art,
Only the song of a secret bird.

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Of course, this is no lullaby in literal sense, rather on the contrary. It seems to be more the soliloquy of a sleepless, love-sick person. But this poem has nevertheless two important things common with lullaby:

The subtle rhyme and rhythm, which enables it very good for Meditative Dance,

and of course, mentioning of dreamland, place of regeneration and healing of pains.

We could attribute the poem as a lullaby for adults - but would be this correct? Is´nt the main function of Lullaby some kind of calming? Sometimes. Sometimes it disturbes and ferrets out grieving memories. Both functions of this kinds of "fairie-tunes" are good, are helpful and healing.

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Summary

author: W.D.-Heller

Sponsored by Tuja Heller last update 18.12.02
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