| George William (“A. E.”) Russell (1867–1935). Collected Poems by A.E. 1913. |
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| 110. Children of Lir |
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| WE woke from our sleep in the bosom where cradled together we lay: | |
| The love of the dark hidden Father went with us upon our way. | |
| And gay was the breath in our being, and never a sorrow or fear | |
| Was on us as, singing together, we flew from the infinite Lir. | |
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| Through nights lit with diamond and sapphire we raced with the children of dawn, | 5 |
| A chain that was silver and golden linked spirit to spirit, my swan, | |
| Till day in the heavens passed over, and still grew the beat of our wings, | |
| And the breath of the darkness enfolded to teach us unspeakable things. | |
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| Yet lower we fell and for comfort our pinionless spirits had now | |
| The leaning of bosom to bosom, the lifting of lip unto brow. | 10 |
| Though chained to the earth yet we mourned not the loss of our heaven above, | |
| But passed from the vision of beauty to the fathomless being of love. | |
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| Still gay is the breath in our being, we wait for the bell branch to ring | |
| To call us away to the Father, and then we will rise on the wing, | |
| And fly through the twilights of time till the home lights of heaven appear; | 15 |
| Our spirits through love and through longing made one in the infinite Lir. | |
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