| Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922. |
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| 177. A Silent Mouth |
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| By Cathal O'Bryne |
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| O LITTLE green leaf on the bough, you hear the lark in morn, | |
| You hear the grey feet of the wind stir in the shimmering corn, | |
| You hear, low down in the grass, | |
| The Singing Sidhe as they pass, | |
| Do you ever hear, O little green flame, | 5 |
| My loved one calling, whispering my name? | |
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| O little green leaf on the bough, like my lips you must ever be dumb, | |
| For a maiden may never speak until love to her heart says “Come.” | |
| A mouth in its silence is sweet | |
| But my heart cries loud when we meet, | 10 |
| And I turn my head with a bitter sigh | |
| When the boy who has stolen my love, unheeding, goes by. | |
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| I have made my heart as the stones in the street for his tread, | |
| I have made my love as the shadow that falls from his dear gold head, | |
| But the stones with his footsteps ring, | 15 |
| And the shadow keeps following, | |
| And just as the quiet shadow goes ever beside or before, | |
| So must I go silent and lonely and loveless for evermore. | |
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