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Leaving Ben Innis
~~~
My island of secrets, the home of my heart,
Where the seas of the ages hush clean to the shore-
And the waves are of lace, in ephemeral grace,
Like the lover I’ll never see more, nae more-
The lover I’ll see nevermore.
Oh, salt of the sea and my tears in the wind,
Oh, curve of the wave as the tide rushes in,
Oh, spray of the thrift as the mornings begin-
Comfort my lover for me.
For –
I’m leaving Ben Innis the home of my heart,
Forsaking the ramparts of seabitten stone
To voyage the ocean, embracing the world-
I’m leaving Ben Innis alone.
My island of silence, the beat of my breast,
Where the gulls are a’skirling in circles of pain,
And the breath of the mist is the one I have kissed,
She's the lover I leave in the rain, the rain-
The lover I’ll nae see again.
Oh, crags of the heights and my lips to her face,
So fair is my love in the pride of her race;
Oh, way of my blood to the ancients I trace-
Please comfort my lover for me.
For –
I’m leaving Ben Innis; the beat of my breast,
To enter the future, inventing my past-
Forsaking the song of the caverns of stone,
And leaving Ben Innis at last.
My island of dreaming, the sigh of my breath,
Where the glamour of seeming falls day after day,
And the breath of my life, she can nae be my wife-
My lover I leave on the shore, the shore-
The lover I’ll never see more.
Oh, tears of my blood, and the pain in her eyes!
My selkie, my dearling, my lover so wise;
Can never be with me in womanly guise-
Aye, comfort my lover for me.
For -
I’m leaving Ben Innis the sigh of my breath,
And my island of time shall retreat to the sea;
For the burden of blood, and the sake of my name-
Are tearing my lover from me.
Oh, mists of the ocean fall soft on the shore
Of the island of light as it fades from my sight;
Let its secrets so gently slip softly from time,
Tonight!
As I'm leaving love's island tonight.
Leaving Ben Innis
Building the Bridge of the Air
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