Joyce (#poem)

O, it was out by Donnycarney

  When the bat flew from tree to tree

My love and I did walk together;

  And sweet were the words she said to me.

    

Along with us the summer wind

  Went murmuring--O, happily!--

But softer than the breath of summer

  Was the kiss she gave to me.

-James Joyce

This is number XXXI from Joyce's sequence Chamber Music of 1907. It is--uh--much less adventurous than the general run of Joyce's later works, and Joyce wasn't entirely sure he shouldn't just squelch the whole thing. Joyce later wrote Nora, "When I wrote [Chamber Music], I was a lonely boy walking about by myself at night, and thinking one day a girl would love me." Nevertheless (or therefore?) I kind of like them.

Donnycarney is now suburban Dublin and seems to be best known as the home of a sports stadium. Not very romantic at all.

We're off to Ireland in a few weeks! Probably won't go see Donnycarney...