song to the siren

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born this day January 25th, 1882, child of the Victorians.

"It is far harder to kill a phantom than a reality. " Virginia Woolf

photograph Max Siedentopf

Long afloat on shipless oceans

I did all my best to smile

til your singing eyes and fingers

drew me, loving, to your isle.

And you sang, "sail to me, sail to me;

Let me enfold you."

Here I am, here I am waiting to hold you.

Did I dream you dreamed about me?

Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning, broken lovelorn on your rocks.

For you sang, "touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow."

Oh my heart, oh my heart shies from the sorrow.

I'm as puzzled as a newborn child.

I'm as riddled as the tide.

Should I stand amid the breakers?

Or shall I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing: "swim to me, swim to me, let me enfold you."

"Here I am. Here I am, waiting to hold you."

 Tim Buckley

 

the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain here 
the Tim Buckley Archives here
Bryan Ferry's Olympia here

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