by William Sharp (1855 - 1905), as Fiona Macleod
Dalua
Language: English
I have heard you calling, Dalua,
Dalua!
I have heard you on the hill,
By the pool-side still,
Where the lapwings shrill
Dalua . . . Dalua . . . Dalua!
What is it you call, Dalua,
Dalua!
When the rains fall,
When the mists crawl,
And the curlews call
Dalua . . . Dalua . . . Dalua!
I am the Fool, Dalua,
Dalua!
When men hear me, their eyes
Darken: the shadow in the skies
Droops: and the keening-woman cries
Dalua . . . Dalua . . . Dalua!
Author's note: Dalua, one of the names of a mysterious being in the Celtic mythology, the Amadan-Dhu, the Dark Witless One, or Fairy Fool.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text Authorship:
- by William Sharp (1855 - 1905), as Fiona Macleod, "Dalua", appears in From the Hills of Dream, first published 1901 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Rutland Boughton (1878 - 1960), "Dalua", published 1924 [ chorus a cappella ], from Six Celtic Choruses [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Robert) Norman Fulton (1909 - 1980), "Dalua", published 1956 [ high voice and strings ], from Prelude, Recitative and Aria [sung text not yet checked]
- by Emerson Whithorne (1884 - 1958), "Dalua" [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-08-17
Line count: 18
Word count: 91