I Have Sung

I have sung songs of Duhallow and the beauty I have seen When the woods were green and leafy and the birds piped in Dereen But the memories keep fading they grow dimmer by the day Like the rose that bloom for brief while and then quickly fade away. I have sung of Ballydaly and the woods of Claramore But the few who cared to listen never asked for an encore And their eyes could only tell me what their tongues refused to say And the memories keep fading like the blossoms of the May. I have sung of Sherbrooke forest where the mountain ash stand tall Where the lyrebird lilt and mimic and the kookaburra call But the few who cared to listen unimpressed it would appear And applause was not forthcoming not one ripple could I hear I have sung a song of Winter far away and years ago When the fields were gray and frostbound and the hills wore hats of snow But of the few who cared to listen not one uttered hip hooray And before my song had ended it had gone into decay I have sung songs of the rivers and the coastlands and the sea I have sung songs of the mountains and the creatures wild and free But the few who care to listen by their silence only say That my songs won't be remembered and the memories fade away.