I. <br />Birds of omen dark and foul, <br />Night-crow, raven, bat, and owl, <br />Leave the sick man to his dream - <br />All night long he heard you scream. <br />Haste to cave and ruin'd tower, <br />Ivy tod, or dingled-bower, <br />There to wink and mop, for, hark! <br />In the mid air sings the lark. <br /> <br />II. <br />Hie to moorish gills and rocks, <br />Prowling wolf and wily fox, - <br />Hie ye fast, nor turn your view, <br />Though the lamb bleats to the ewe. <br />Couch your trains, and speed your flight, <br />Safety parts with parting night; <br />And on distant echo borne, <br />Comes the hunter's early horn. <br /> <br />III. <br />The moon's wan crescent scarcely gleams, <br />Ghost-like she fades in morning beams; <br />Hie hence, each peevish imp and fay <br />That scarce the pilgrim on his way, - <br />Quench, kelpy! quench, in bog and fen, <br />Thy torch, that cheats benighted men; <br />Thy dance is o'er, thy reign is done, <br />For Benyieglo hath seen the sun. <br /> <br />IV. <br />Wild thoughts, that, sinful, dark, and deep, <br />O'erpower the passive mind in sleep, <br />Pass from the slumberer's soul away, <br />Like night-mists from the brow of day: <br />Foul hag, whose blasted visage grim <br />Smothers the pulse, unnerves the limb, <br />Spur thy dark palfrey, and begone! <br />Thou darest not face the godlike sun.<br /><br />Sir Walter Scott<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ancient-gaelic-melody/
