Saddle and ride, I heard a man say,
Out of Ben Bulben and Knocknarea,
What says the Clock in the Great Clock Tower?
All those tragic characters ride
But turn from Rosses' crawling tide,
The meet's upon the mountain-side.
A slow low note and an iron bell.

What brought them there so far from their home.
Cuchulain that fought night long with the foam,
What says the Clock in the Great Clock Tower?
Niamh that rode on it; lad and lass
That sat so still and played at the chess?
What but heroic wantonness?
A slow low note and an iron bell.

Aleel, his Countess; Hanrahan
That seemed but a wild wenching man;
What says the Clock in the Great Clock Tower?
And all alone comes riding there
The King that could make his people stare,
Because he had feathers instead of hair.
A slow low note and an iron bell.

                      Tune by Arthur Duff 

Added: Feb 20 2003 | Viewed: 1149 times | Comments (0)

Poet: William Butler Yeats
Poem: Alternative Song For The Severed Head In `The King Of The Great Clock Tower'
Volume: Parnell's Funeral and Other Poems
Year: Published/Written in 1935
There are no comments for this poem. Why not be the first one to post something about it?

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Alternative Song For The Severed Head In `The King Of The Great Clock Tower', has not yet been commented on. You can click here to be the first to post a comment about it. Of course you can also always discuss poems by William Butler Yeats with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!