Marsali's Dream

Along the sea strand, on the Isle of Lismore
A bonnie young maid in a boat makes her plaint.
Down her soft cheeks crystal tears drop to shore,
And the knife in her hand with red blood is it stained.
In her mem'ry rang loud blows and weeping and sighs;
In her ears angry cries as her clanfolk draw nigh.
With a last look at homeland, the knife tossed aside,
She guides her frail vessel out on the salt tide.

CHORUS. For tis far cross the sea to a fair, distant land.
Leave the tartan and pipes and the strength of the clan.
So the boat gently sails down the firth to the sea,
Led by the hand of exiled Marsali.
Someday she'll return to the forest and stream.
Someday she'll return, such is Marsali's Dream.

For long, long and aye did she sail the boat on,
And wept as she thought of her hearth and her home.
For deliv'ring her life from a dark, wicked man
She was doomed then to wander in exile alone.
But she had her revenge, with fierce joy paid the price
And swears she'll not weep, turns her fair heart to ice.
So for many a day and for many a year
She sails and she wanders and ne'er sheds a tear.

CHORUS

Now the years wander by and she sees many lands
Though deep in her heart none to homeland compares.
In the Kingdom of Midrealm takes sword, bow in hand;
To the puissant Lord Comar her fealty swears.
But her heart yearns for far lands, for cool, wooded glen
And rugged bold seaside and broad highland fen.
She knows she might ne'er again set foot once more
On her homeland's sweet earth, on the strand of Lissmore.

CHORUS

When the war pipes do call all the Midlands to arms
Then Marsali silently locks her away
She weeps at the sound of the pipes loud alarum
And dreams of returning to Lissmore one day
For the tune echoes loud on the heath of her mind
And the wind and the waves to that distant land bind
She lists to the call, journies through mem'ries old
To distant Lissmore, to her home e'er so bold.

CHORUS. For tis far cross the sea to her sweet, lost homeland.
Left the tartan and pipes and the strength of the clan.
So the boat gently sails down the firth to the sea,
Led by the hand of exiled Marsali.
Someday she'll return to the forest and stream.
Someday she'll return, such is Marsali's Dream.