SHE was my love and the pulse of my heart;
Lovely she was as the flowers that start
Straight to the sun from the earth's tender breast,
Sweet as the wind blowing out of the west —
Elana, Elana, my strong one, my white one,
Soft be the wind blowing over your rest!
She crept to my side
In the cold mist of morning.
“O wirra” she cried,
“‘ Tis farewell now, mavourneen!
When the crescent moon hung
Like a scythe in the sky,
I heard in the silence
The Little Folks cry.
“‘ Twas like a low sighing,
A sobbing, a singing;
It came from the west,
Where the low moon was swinging:
‘ Elana, Elana’
Was all of their crying.
Mavrone! I must go —
To refuse them, I dare not.
Alone I must go;
They have called and they care not —
Naught do they care that they call me apart
From the warmth and the light and the love of your heart.
Hark! How their singing
Comes winging, comes winging,
Through your close arms, beloved,
Straight to my heart!”
White grew her face as the thorn's tender bloom,
White as the mist from the valley of doom!
Swift was her going — her head on my breast
Drooped like a flower that winter has pressed —
Elana, Elana! My strong one, my white one!
Empty the arms that your beauty had blessed.