Be Still As You Are Beautiful
WORDS:
Patrick MacDonagh (1902 - 1961)
MUSIC: Tim Dennehy
FIDDLE &
VIOLA: Nollaig Ní Chathasaigh
GUITAR &
KEYBOARD: Garry O'Briain
MacDonagh
was born in the North of Ireland in 1902. The best of his work is gathered
in the 1958 volume, 'One Landscape Still'. Broadcaster Liam O Murchú
chose 'Be Still As You Are Beautiful' as his favourite poem when contributing
to the 'Lifelines', collection. In his introduction he writes, 'A perfect
lyric, as lovely as the best of Yeats and with a haunting and masterly sense
of rhythm and sound'.
Be still as you are beautiful,
Be silent as the rose;
Through miles of starlit countryside
Unspoken worship flows
To find you in your loveless room
From lonely men whom daylight gave
The blessing of your passing face
Impenetrably grave.
A
white owl in the lichened wood
Is circling silently,
More secret and more silent yet
Must be your love to me.
Thus, while about my dreaming head
Your soul in ceaseless vigil goes,
Be still as you are beautiful,
Be silent as the rose.