Poem of the Day: St. Patrick's Day Edition

Brief historical background: Eamon de Valera was an Irish revolutionary and, later, a President of Ireland; Áras an Uachtaráin is the official residence of the President of Ireland and a symbol of Irish nationalism; Diarmaid and Gráinne are a pair of mythical Irish lovers.

Making Love outside Áras an Uachtaráin

When I was a boy, myself and my girl
Used bicycle up to the Phoenix Park;
Outside the gates we used lie in the grass
Making love outside Áras an Uachtaráin.

Often I wondered what de Valera would have thought
Inside in his ivory tower
If he knew we were in his green, green grass
Making love outside Áras an Uachtaráin.

Because the odd thing was--oh how odd it was--
We both revered Irish patriots
And we dreamed our dreams of a green, green flag
Making love outside Áras an Uachtaráin.

But even had our names been Diarmaid and Gráinne
We doubted de Valera's approval
For a poet's son and a judge's daughter
Making love outside Áras an Uachtaráin.

I see him now in the heat-haze of the day
Blindly stalking us down;
And, levelling an ancient rifle, he says "Stop
Making love outside Áras an Uachtaráin."

-- Paul Durcan

(Text taken from here.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!