Sara Teasdale, comp. (1884–1933).
The Answering Voice: One Hundred Love Lyrics by Women. 1917. | | | | “Cuttin’ Rushes” | | By Moira O’Neill |
| | | OH, maybe it was yesterday, or fifty years ago! | |
| Meself was risin’ early on a day for cuttin’ rushes. | |
| Walkin’ up the Brabla’ burn, still the sun was low, | |
| Now I ’d hear the burn run an’ then I ’d hear the thrushes. | |
| Young, still young!—and drenchin’ wet the grass, | 5 |
| Wet the golden honeysuckle hangin’ sweetly down; | |
| Here, lad, here! will ye follow where I pass, | |
| An’ find me cuttin’ rushes on the mountain. | |
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| Then was it only yesterday, or fifty years or so? | |
| Rippin’ round the bog pools high among the heather, | 10 |
| The hook it made me hand sore, I had to leave it go, | |
| ’T was he that cut the rushes then for me to bind together. | |
| Come, dear, come!—an’ back along the burn | |
| See the darlin’ honeysuckle hangin’ like a crown. | |
| Quick, one kiss,—sure, there ’s some one at the turn! | 15 |
| “Oh, we ’re afther cuttin’ rushes on the mountain.” | |
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| Yesterday, yesterday, or fifty years ago…. | |
| I waken out o’ dreams when I hear the summer thrushes. | |
| Oh, that ’s the Brabla’ burn, I can hear it sing an’ flow, | |
| For all that ’s fair I ’d sooner see a bunch o’ green rushes. | 20 |
| Run, burn, run! can ye mind when we were young? | |
| The honeysuckle hangs above, the pool is dark an’ brown: | |
| Sing, burn, sing! can ye mind the song ye sung | |
| The day we cut the rushes on the mountain? | | | | |
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