Muireann Poem by Paul McManus

'Muireann', the wind whistles,
Through thick briars and thistles,
And drops the name down with the rain.

It bubbles up with the spume
On the lip of the lagoon,
Each letter follows the other in train.

'Muireann', the swallows cheep
High above in the canopy,
In formation, they skywrite the name.

Then they swoop, dive and turn,
And head for the sun,
And south goes the names last 'n'.

'Muireann', the ocean thunders
And all the creatures wonder
Under the black magic sea.

Crustecean or fish,
The coral and the sea mist,
The seaweed on the supine sand,

All chorus the name
With lustrous refrain
'Muireann! ' 'Muireann! ' 'Muireann! '

'Muireann', the wind whistles,
Through thick briars and thistles,
And drops the name down on the plain.

It lands on the dew,
The soil is seduced,
And it sets off again, each letter in train.