Johnny Cash - I See a Darkness

Poem of the Day - Mise Raifteirí an File

Mise Raifteirí an File
(I am Raftery, the poet)

by Antoine Ó Raifteirí

I am Raftery the poet,
Full of hope and love,
With eyes without light,
Calm without anguish.

Going back in my travels
With the light of my heart
Weary and tired
To the end of my journey.

Look at me now
And my back to the wall,
Playing music
To empty pockets.

Sinéad O'Connor - She moved through the Fair

The 1600's gave birth of some of the most enduring English and Irish love ballads; these were folk songs, written anonymously, that told of unrequited or lost love. Their haunting melodies and evocative lyrics have ensured their continuous popularity over the centuries despite changing tastes in music. In my opinion, these are some of the most beautiful love songs ever written. You can hear echoes of them today in such hits as "My Heart Will Go On" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."

Songs from this period include "Scarborough Fair," "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair," "The Water Is Wide," and "She Moved Through the Fair." According to Ossian's "Folksongs and Ballads" the melody of "She Moved Through the Fair" dates back to Medieval times but the lyrics, as we generally know them today, were probably written in the 1600's. Along with "Greensleeves," it is the earliest love song still widely sung today.