as i roosted on the mighty bell of ailsa craig a voice did yell across the deep and briny sea and with great power it forth led me to fly in the visions of poesy 2 as king of dal arie i reigned this sea and all the lands around the isles the mull and over there across the narrow sea north ulster fair 3 but i transgressed the rules of war so saintly ronan cursed me far changed me to a bird in flight astray from human kind and sight 4 so here i am a migrant bird with nothing to my body gird naked but for scanty feathers to see me thru wild wintry weathers 5 hearing voices over the sea a birdbrain madman they call me but on this flight from ailsa craig i felt a premonition vague |