The Yellow Bittern (An Bunnan Bui)-Cathie Ryan

[ti:The Yellow Bittern] [ar:Cathie Ryan] [al:The Music Of What Happens] [offset:0] [00:00.55]The yellow bittern that never broke out [00:07.01]In a drinking bout might as well have drunk [00:15.22] [00:15.92]His bones are thrown on a naked stone [00:22.75]Where he lived alone like a hermit monk [00:30.33] [00:31.46]Oh yellow bittern, I pity your lot [00:37.76]Though they say that a sot like myself is cursed [00:44.76]I was sober a while, but I’ll drink and be wise [00:51.79]For fear I should die in the end of thirst [00:58.65] [01:04.14]It’s not for the common birds that I’d mourn [01:10.69]The blackbird, the corncrake or the crane [01:17.87]But for the bittern that’s shy and apart [01:24.37]And drinks in the marsh from the lone bog drain [01:31.76] [01:33.25]Oh if I had known you were near your death [01:39.77]While my breath held out I’d have run to you [01:46.09] [01:46.78]‘Til a splash from the Lake of the Son of the Bird [01:53.52]Your soul would have stirred and waked anew [02:00.15] [02:06.10]My darling told me to drink no more [02:12.25]Or my life would be o’er in a little short while [02:19.39]But I told her ’tis drink gives me health and strength [02:25.95]And will lengthen my road by many a mile [02:33.75] [02:35.18]You see how the bird of the long smooth neck [02:41.92]Could get his death from the thirst at last [02:49.07] [02:50.58]Come, son of my soul, and drink your cup [02:57.16]For you’ll get no sup when your life is past