G rateful

c knowledgm ent is m a d e for

mi s s on t o reprin t suc h

v erse s

as

h av e

at

ubli c

Maga' i ne
'

th es e

vari o u s t im e s i n The M ess enger

' i lgri m The Catholi c World M c Clure s

a pp eared
The

of

p er

The Eveni ng Sun ,

New

' or k , The

L edger, ' hil a d e lp hia , The Eye

L on don , Studi es D ublin

,

Wi tness ,

C ONTENT S
' A GE

TH

P R IE ST

TH

M I ST

OF

M OTHER

D REA M S

5
TH

BL E SSIN G

TH

D AR' L AD'

OF

THE H AR'

10

' UIS SI O UT D E US '

T H E E ' IL E
TH

11
13

L OST MOTHER

WHE N
TH

TH

ARE O L D
B I RD S 0F A E N GUS 0 G
F I DDL ER

TH

F L OW ER VE N DOR

'

OU

O M NIS C I E N C E
TH

16
17
19

20
21

L E SS ER P EA CE

23
24

TH

F O RE S EE IN G

TH

B I RD S

OF

THE

TH

P I' E S

OF

MANA NAAN

0F

D E I RDRE
A IR

H A' E N E S T S
'

25
28

29

TH

I RI s H

AT THE F RO N T

D O M IN U S

vi

T HE PRIE S T S MO TH ER

Flanked b y serried hosts of angels multitudinous

W h o is this that comes like an army in array '
Wh y does the sword of Michael gleam so glori
ous '
Wherefore does Uriel with p alms bestrew the

way 2
,

I s it one who drank of th e wine cup vi rginal

And the warmth o f earth love gladly did
forego '
Martyr mystic signed is this p atriarch or car
dinal
That the orb ed cherubim so tremulously glow '
-

Have the cohorts militant lost a blade invincible '

H as some sinn ing woman f rom nigh the doors
o f hell
Fighting inch by inch o f th e dark road terri ble
S et her bleeding f eet at last amid the asphodel '
,

ar di us
Whose tears wi l l not he
s

tayed be f ore the

Is but a timid woman f rail with worn hands

,

The Winner of the S mile o f God

His p riest

th e

mother o f

Now mak es the F lesh o f God upon the altar

H

that s f ain to dwell with men be nig

whereb y
unto

c omes

THE MIS T OF DRE AM S

The mist of dreams is in his eyes

H i s feet by hidden p athways go ;
He is not fretted by our sighs
He cannot weep for all our woe
,

What should he know o f human things

To whom the fairies gave his smiles '
Or care fo r human sorrowings

W h o travels fr o m the B lessed Isles 2

,

For if he knoweth of unrest

Tis that his heart is fain to b e
Wh ere those bright Islands of th e Blest
S pread wide their fronded greenery
,

And when he seemeth not to hear

The harshness that is human sp eech
I t is because unto his ear
N aught save that melod y can reach ;

'

Each to th e

th er

'

o e desp i te

s S r

VE S PE RAL

To lovelier eveni ng wears the lovely day

An d all the world is wrapt in cloistral h u sh
Loud from his leafy cell th e hermit thrush
Intones his ' u be ben ed i c er e ;
,

blessi ng on rip e meadows and full wains

And on the plenteous harvest of the bee
A blessing on still wood and fragran t lea
Fruit o f the sun fruit of the summer rains

Now comes s weet ease unto all weary things

C attle to byre dew unto thirsty sod ;
F air thro the dusk glimmer the lamp s o f God ;
Peac e and the night descend on silent wings
,

TH E

B LE S S ING O F
'

TH E

HAR'

List to t h e harp er of the S i dhe

Would you be weav i ng fairy sp ells

.

Twas I ca m e fastin g to your board

You gave m e f o od and shel ter warm
0 darling o f a ten d er L o rd
Is it my s elf would do y ou harm '

Tis l o ng has been your 'ourney now

Among the hills of Inni s fail
You that are s e aled upon the brow
T o b e the bright torch of the Gael

Let you sit down I n this green place

With your shorn sons about your knee
A n d I will touch my harp a s p ace

A n d play the mu s ic o f the S idhe

,

And rst h e played the hosting tune

Whereat the Riders o f the Hills
Go forth beneath the S amhain moon
To fetter mortals to their wi ll s ;

And ne' t the herding tune he played

And all the creatures of the wo od
B oth bird and beast all unafraid
Ab o ut the priests of Patrick stood

And then he play ed the song o f sleep

And slumber fell upon their eyes
That had such vigils l o ng to keep :
They slept and dreamt of Paradise
,

He held them in their p leasant rest

Until the evenin g shadows fell
F rom every hill to east and west
There sounded forth the vesp er bell

And then it was they stirred and woke

And all their weariness was ed
Then Patrick to th e harp er sp oke :

Ask what thou wilt dear son

he
said
,

Patrick of the m i g hty heart

I to be saved eternally
A n d th y swee t blessing on my art

These are the gi fts I ask s ai d he

0

SO let it be ,

aid Patrick then

Thy soul t o be with Mary s Son
And up o n E rin s playing men
T h e grac i ous ble s sing thou hast won :
s

They to so und all the dep t hs o f

And

set

it

g l owung

lik e a sta r

te ars ;

THE DARK LADY

W h o were you lady whose black magic s tay ed

The sunward soaring eagle in his ight
And lured him to your silken leash and made
The sun but darkness seem beside the light
Lurking in your dark hair and dusky eyes '
We that have wept above Verona s fair
A n d had our laughter neath Messina s s kies
With Leonato s daughter debonair
We know not how nor by what English name
Men sp oke o f you o f old in L o ndon town
Nor what your lover whisp ered whose p roud
shame
Your faithlessness with fealty di d crown
B ut captive in his gl o ry evermore
S unward and swift we s ee you mount and
soar
,

' UI S S I O UT D EU S '

F rom term to term He reacheth mightily

Time to His en dl essness h ath set no bound ;
Its years His instants do not compass r ound
Nor sp ace containeth His immensity
The stretched out heavens for His canopy
He hath s et up and while the ebbing wave
Re c e d et h from the boundary He gave
He v i ew eth His fair world c o mplacently
The ery meteor i n its trackless ight
Is orbited and the most ancient star
That resteth on th e steadfas t hills at night
Kn o weth mutation with all things that are
He in serene unchangefulness doth stay
no to m o rrow hath n o r yesterday
.

10

THE E ' ILE

Hark to the sob o the wild sea s ke en i n

B etwi ' t the two hearts of us Molly aroon
Nigh to your soul tis my soul is l e an i n
Over the miles t hat lies wide betu me

Little they think that hear me singin

Tis the p ain 0 my heart I m t r y i n t o hi de
Me that can hear the laugh 0 y ou ringin
S weet as the thrush in the green h bd g es i d e ;

Me that can see your gray eyes s mi l i n

Under the shine of your hair like sloe
Molly tis you was the witch b e g u ili n
T o ease the hurt o m y bitter woe

Light was the step ye had in the dancin

Faith twas the fairies got into your feet '
When you tossed your head love your gray eyes
glaucin
Wirra tis ruined I was complete
,

Gray w as my heart till it went to your keepin

Again the beat of your own asthore
' oy of m y sorrow I ve learned ye w e ep i n
You that had never a tear of yore
,

11

Go
say s you
where tis gold is rainin
Many s the p ocket you rself c an ll
And here will I stop without p laint or p l ai n i n

In the cabin you ve builded again the h ill

,

Bu t sorra the glint o

the gold I m s p y i n
It s b at tl i n I am for sup an bite
F or a sight 0 the child in your arms I m sighin
A n the sound 0 my Molly s voice this night

I can hear the d r oon o the cradle swingin

Where ye sit in the light 0 the burnin p eat
T roth it s the sad little s ong you re singin
An the lilt o the dance has left your feet
,

There s threads 0 white in the head y ou re

bendin
A n wan is the hand that ye gave to me
S ure you re w e ary i n s ore for this e ' ile s endin
A n the day I ll be goin back over the sea

12

T HE LO S T MO THE R

m o n g t h e r o c k o n e o f t h e s e a w o m en
c o mb i n g h e r l o n g h a i r an d i f h e c an c r eep up t o h e r
u n b e kn ow n s t an d s t e a l aw a y f ro m h e r h e r c uh ul een
d ri u t h
w hi c h i s a ki n d o f s m all c a p t h e me rr o w s d o
b e w e a r i n g s h e c an n e v e r g o b a c k u n d e r th e s e a an y
m or e at al l b ut mu s t f oll ow h i s b iddin g w hil e e v e r h e
h as i t i n h i s kee p in g
a

O scarlet hunter riding p ast

0 hunter do not ride so fast
But tell me where s my mother 3
,

Nay child why dost thou

o f me '
S a f e at the hearth should mothers b e

A n d t h i ne like an y other
,

as k

W h ile I was p layin g on th e oo r

D ee p in a hollow near the door
I found a shining cap l aid by
My mother gave a p iercin g c ry
A n d snatched it up and ed away
Though I have sought her all the day
I c annot n d my mother

13

O w o man with the milking stool

S tan ding among the grasses cool
Hast thou not seen my mother '
,

What like is thy mother lad '

A strip ed p etticoat Sh e had
Her snooded hair is soft as silk
S h e s whiter in the face than milk
My lost sweet mother
,

I saw a p o o r mad thing g o down

B y yonder highway to the t own
I saw none other
But oh her hair was strea ming wild
S ure fren ' y was up on her child

And she was not thy mother

,

friar in th y long rough gown

S ay in what corner o f the town
I ll nd m y mother
,

What i s thy mother s name poor

boy '
My father always c al led her ' oy
,

14

I t hath the ring of Heathenesse

But to all creatures in distress
Lord Christ is B rother
In the churchyard an hour ago
I saw a witch girl crouching low
B ut oh she fell t o weeping sore
F o r that she feared the cross I wore
I ll dry thy tears and lead thee h o me

Go o d mothers have no wi s h to roam

Nay I must nd my mother
,

0 sher , coming in from sea ,

Lay by the o ar and an s wer me

O hast thou seen my mother '

Nay but I saw, up on my life

M o ng yonder rocks a merrow wife
W ith long l o cks streaming in the sun
S he saw the billows shoreward run
S he heard the splashing of my oar
Wildly she g l an c e d al on g the shore
S he ung her foam white arms on high
S he cried a weird and w ai ling cry
And leap ed and vanished in the sea
I cro s sed the bro w and breast of me
And thanked the Maker of my life
That I ve a christened maid to w ife
,

'

15

WHE N YOU A RE OLD

'u

an

vo

us

s ere '

b ien

i ill e

v e

RO NS AR D

When you are very old with snowy hair

S itting b eside the re at candle light
You will remember all my rhymes aright

A n d murmur
Ronsard s ang when I was fair
Then at your side no drowsy little maid
Leaning adream above her tambour frame
But will arouse at mention of my name
Knowing your name with deathless p raise
arrayed
I shall lie under earth my restless ghost
B eneath t h e myrtle shade shall wander lost
' o u will crouch cold the dying ame beside
Ah then be kind to d ay ; no longer wait
T o weep for my sp ent l o ve and your harsh
p ride
Gather life s roses ere it be too late
,

16

T HE B IRD S O F A E NGUS O G

In my young youth twas I that heard them

c alling
The birds o f Aengus A engus Ever Young
While the pale light between the hills was fa ll ing
I heard the hounds of e l an d giving tongue
,

Then of my lot no com fort was I getting

L ow seemed your eaves to me and strait your
door ;
Afte r the birds of A engus was I fretting
And fain was I to hear their call once m o re
,

Though b y rough ways my eager feet went

straying
F ar an d away from all the haunts of men
Near fairy ring s and lonely raths delaying
N ever I won to sight of them again
,

17

T HE F IDDLE R

I kn o w tis low the August moon is ridin

In lacy cloud s her face she s h i d i n
An s mili n too the clouds between
For in the balmy S ummer weather
The colleens and the lads together
Are dancin o n the village green

I hear them near an w h i r li n gaily by me

Many s the love word whisp ered nigh me
It s then we smile th e moon an I
S ure lave them alone to their r om an c i n
I t s young t hey are an why not dancin '
The old h ave time enough to sigh

What sigh h ad I when y o uth was golden '

Faith an to none was I beholden
Nor thought to p ay the d d l c r s fee
Now I m dark an the youth time ended
Alone an feeble an unfriended
Who i s the ddler ' W h o but me '

19

THE FL OWER VE ND OR

Now is the winter g o ne ' Here s one that dares

Flaunt in the fac e o f gusty March his wares
Though she with hoyden turm o il ll the street
' ac i n t h s are here and here s arbutus s weet
S till wet and f ragrant of the underwo o d
Up then p oo r heart ' Let y ou have hardihood
S omewhere this p oet in the dusty c o at
Has seen earth laugh has heard the throstle s
note
Wh at matter wind s ' Let them go railing on
Sp ring s here S p ring s here ' The winter s gone '

20

OMNIS C I ENC E

Th o u seest the under side of every leaf

The arteries of earth are bare to Thee
B efore Thee hell is naked every sea
Is crystal every garnered sheaf
Grain upon grain Th o u knowest ; not a blade
Of withered grass the wind blows vagrantly
But at Thy nod ; the nest woof Thou dost see
The sp eckling of the egg within it laid
,

The wh eeling planets Thou dost call by name

There is n o star so lost in utter sp ace
Thou markest not its shining and its p la c e
And every hearth and every altar ame
A n d souls of men are as a p age outsp read
Wh ereon Thou readest both o f good and
base :
What falling rock shall hide us from Thy face '
May we escap e Thy glance though we be dead '
,

21

TH E L E S S ER ' E A C E

B e fore my gla s s is wholly run

I as k a sp an of ' uiet years
When I may wind the thread I ve spun
Learn laughter and remember tears
,

A season o f good fellowship

B eneath the sky with wi nd and rain
When buckling on m y shallow s c rip
I leave b ehind the ways of p a i n

I ask a little garden c lose

Wherein to learn the common g ra c e
O f herb and ow r before the snows
Make p al e the warm earth s comely f ace ;

A lesser p eace before the great

A little while to court the sun
T o sit with folded hands and wait
The coming of the Silent One
,

23

S ILE NC E IN HE A' E N

The citherns lie with muted strings

And hushed i s Heaven s psaltery
No seraph stirs h i s aming win gs
No wave di s turbs the crystal s e a
,

Si '

spirits stand before God s face

Where seven are wont to minister
F or Gabriel has left his place
And sp ed him as God s mes s enger
,

The p raising multitudes are dumb

A l l Heaven waits with tranc ed b re ath
Until the answering word shall c ome
In
F rom Mary s
.

2 4:

TH E F ORE S E E I NG O F D E I RDRE

D eirdre of the Yellow Hair

What s on y ou that you sigh '
A ll owery are the apple trees
The blossoms rain about your knees
The lark i s in the sky ;
D eirdre of the Yellow Hair
You that have silken gowns to wear
A n d gold and gems b eyond comp are
What s on you that you sigh '
,

My

g r i ef ' to

B ey o n d th e

A n d I th a t

th e l ar k

s ee

o r c h ar d

far i g h t

w a l l,

l eav e y o ur s i g h t,
Nor s tr ay bey on d y ou r c al l

I t s far my f e e t s h a ll tr av el y e t,
c an n o t

A nd

f man y

s p r ay o

My
B ut

s hi n i n g

s eas s h a l l

y ellow h ai r ,

n a rr o w s h a l l

m y h o u s i ng b e,

D o w n w h e r e th e w a v e s
Th e

sa n d s

w et

f Uls ter

25

I r e l an d

w ear

s s ea

D eirdre o f the S lender Hands

What s on y ou that y o u weep '
A ll tangled lies y our sc arlet skein
While your slow tears li ke summer rain
B etwi ' t your ngers creep ;
D eirdre of the S lender Hands
Make haste and wind your scattered strands
Make has te and sew your broidered bands
What s on you that you weep '
,

My

g r i ef ' to

s ee

L i ke bl o o d

c r im so n

th e

th r ea d

th e g r o u n d

I t s I a m h e av y w i th th e d r e a d
o i th e lo n g s h e i n u n w o u n d
up o n

I l l ha v e my ll of l a ug h te r y e t,
Red wi n e m y r e dd er li p s s h a l l w e t,

A n d I ll b e m ad w i th mi r th ,

But

oh,

W h en I

th e bi tter t ear s I ll
s h a ll

c ro u c h

s h ed

a mo n g

Up o n th e b loo d w e t
-

th e d ea d

e a r th

D eirdre of the D reaming Eye

Wh at s on you that you smile '
The bitter temp est howls without
And blows th e naked boughs about
And y ou to laugh the while
Deirdre o f the D reaming E y e
While all the owers o f s ummer die
And round the dun the bleak winds sigh
What s on y ou that you smile '
,

26

Lor d of Hosts '

28

'

THE P I PE S O F MA NA NAA N

Weird is the golden glamour falling

Across the misty slop es o f dawn
A n d el n pip es are f aintly calling
The magic p ip es of Man an aan
,
,

Come forth 0 King o f Ireland s dau g ht er

Come out into the dusk o f morn
Come f or the King of th e Under Water
I s waiting b eside the twisted thorn
,

Th e w ay his three f air

Th e length of many

cows went l o wi n g
a wea ry mi l e
B road an d brown are th e three road s g o in g
F rom end to end o f E rin s i s l e
,

I n h i s c a p is a sea gull s f eather

H e made the roa ds f or his wanderin g
For you and him and son g together
To b e abroad in the p leas ant Sp ri ng

29

MARI A NS ON
'F

ro

th e F

Mar i an s on my lady fair

,

Lend me

y our

r en

ch )

three g old rin gs to wear

Mari an s on al l un di str es t
Has lent her rin gs at his b ehest
,

Then has he ta en the trinkets three

Unto the g ol ds mith hastily
.

O c r afti e smith I p ray you ma k e

Three golden rings for Mary s sake
,

L et

them be fairly wrought u p on

L i k e these three rings o f Mari an son

W h en h e has held the rings o f g old

He mou nts h i m on h i s c har g er hol d

31

It is because th e love I ve won

) 7

B y my love s rings t hat she do t h wear

There for three nights and days he s

An d

to hi s g oo d steed given lm ee
'

32

His mother fr o m the turret high

Marks where he rides and loud doth c ry
,

My lady daughter kn owest thou

It is thy husband cometh now '
,

Yet rides h e not here lovingly ;

As one an an g e r e d sore ri de s he
.

But take thy young son on thine arm

Th e babe h i s father s sight will charm

Good morrow son receive thine heir

say what name thou lt have hi m b ear
,

He s snatched the young child from h er bre ast

And dashed it gai n st the o aken chest

And then he s ta en his wife so p ale

And dragged her at hi s horse s t ail

There s not a tree in all the woo d

Unwetted by the lady s blood

33

N ow may s t thou rot u p on th e mould

But s ay where are t hy r i n g s o f g old '

Take tho u th e key b ound at my wrist

And nd the rin g s th y lips have kist

.

when the golden rings h e sees

Low does he fall upon his kn ees :
0

I s there none skilled in surgery

May make thy body whole for me '

None is so sk illed in sur g ery

To make my body whole f or thee

My need is now a slender thing

But thread and needl es let them bri n g
,

A nd

hi oned be
let
a
white
shroud
f
as
I

Wh erein to wrap and b ury me

34

B RO TH ER ' UNIPE R

As

unto F r an c i s Povert y
S o F olly was a bride to thee
Not the 'ade that f ashions ' ui p s
Fo r the smiles o f moc king lips
And in the f ace o f stony Death
Ca p ers till she s out of breath
But the maid that moves and sings
About divinely foolish things
S h e that gives her substanc e all
For love and laughs to nd it small
S he that drew Go d s S on to b e
A butt a 'est on C alvary
And neath the lep er s guise doth know
The King in his incognito
,

The world is grown too wise and we

Go our sad ways sensibly
0 would that our lean souls mi g ht wi n
Some g rac e o f thine God s harle ' uin
,

35

A BALL A D E OF L O S T IS L A ND S

T h er e

are

no

m or e

Bl es s e d

I s l an d s

NIET' SC H

Ye sail the charted seas in vain

And s eek in vain f or that dim strand
No man of y ou shall see again
The isles where Mor g ai n held command
Wh ere Blessed B rendan l owered sail
And lingered near the pleasant shore ;
Give over for the search must fail
The Blessed Islands are no more
,

They that in Mai l d n s curragh went

F ar off beheld the happ y thr o ng
In radiant dress with gems besprent
And lent their voices to the song ;
Now no man hears that fairy tune
Ring out above the billow s roar
No eye beholds them neath the moon
The Ble s sed Islands are no more

37

A nd

p ut mid shoutings out to sea

To come again with canvas torn
A n d tales of outland wi ' ardry '
A n d some have come with pil ed gold
And some with strange beasts many score
But none returns with em p ty hold
The Blessed I slan ds are no more

Mate s get ye home in wealth and p ride ;

No my stery from shore to shore
E ludes you on the waters wide
Blessed I slands are no more
,

38

T HE D E S ERTERS

Long and long an d lon g ago

I n the sunn y weather
Youth and Love and S ong and I
Took the road together
,

Youth was all for dancing then

Love was all f or lau ghter
Son g and I on dan c ing f eet
Lau ghing f ollowed a fter

for th e re st be ne ath th e h ed ge
Mi d the way si d e owe rs
H o for th e du s t up on th e co at
Ho f or summer s how ers

o,

c ame a ni gh t wh en ' outh

F l ed whi l e I was s lee p i n g ;
Th en must L ove s te al af te r hi m
Though h e l eft me w eep i n g

But t her e

89

TH E H A RP

OF TH RE E STR IN GS

The King o f the world no more no mor e

S hall swing hi s dauntless blade
The f oe to hear hi s battle roar
No more shall ee afraid
,

There came un to the level strand

A woman of th e West ;
He gave her the ring from O ff his hand
The heart f rom out his breast

O f three strings was the harp s h e bore

At her white shoulder slung
S he sat her on the sandy oor
And el n songs she s ung
.

And when sh e struck the iron string

B lack sorrow on him fell
And from his eyes such tears did s p ring
As weep the wo es of hell
,

The 'oy o f all the earth

Was loosed up on him and h e p rayed
,

But when beneath her nger ti p s

Th e silver string did soun d
He looked no more at his t all shi p s

Nor ght nor hunt can rea c h his ear

N or mortal mi ns trelsy
W h o smiles f orevermore to hear
The harping o f the
,

p ron oun c e d

42

THE HOUS E W I F E S PRA YE R

Lady who with tender ward

Didst kee p the house o f Christ the Lord
Who dids t set f orth the b read and wine
B e f ore the Livin g Wheat and Vine
Reverently di dst ma k e the bed
Wh ereon w as l ai d the holy Head
That such a cruel p illow p rest
F or our behoo f on Calvary s crest ;
B e beside me whi l e I go
A bout my l ab ors to an d f ro
S p eed the wh eel an d sp eed th e l oo m
Guide the needle an d the b room
Mak e my bread rise sweet and li ght
Make my c heese c ome f oamy white
Yellow may my butter be
A s cowsli p s b lowing on the lea
Homely thou gh my tasks and s mall
B e besi d e me at them al l
Then when I shall stand to f a c e
' esu in th e 'u dgment p lace
To me thy gra c ious hel p aff or d
Who art the H an d mai d o f the L ord
,

43

S E CU RIT Y

I keep t h e e f ull

S ecure

Re v

of

re l y

' UL IA NA

or

NO RW I CH

amid th e engulng oods I hold thee

Out o f the p ath of harm

Within the pleasance o f My love I hide thee

The s ecret o f My face
No wrong may over c ome no ill betide thee
B eyond My cloistering grace

Out of the p ress of men I call and choose thee

I bind thee with My bands
Then be thou not dismayed ; 110w should I lose
thee
Who grave thee in My hands '
,

O CLAV I S DAV I D

0 '

o f D avid c ome '

S hut is my door and loc k ed
In vain Thy grace hath knocke d
There is no room no room
ey

F ear visiteth the stars

S uns from Thy p athway ee
A n d yet 0 Israel s ' ey
F ast hold my bol ts and b ars
,

So narrow is my door
Its lintel is so low ;
How should a King s f eet go
A c ros s so mean a oor '
,

0 Key of David s line ,

Thou makest Thyself small

The bolts an d barriers f all
And all the house is Thine
.

M I LIT A R I SM

'

ea e

eace

an d

h ere

w as

no

e ace

N ot at my ease in the t ent nor adream in th e

hall
Not with my sword at my thi gh and my l an c e
at re s t
But f ul l i n the shoc k o f th e f ray on the eld l et
me fall
W ith the C on ' uero r s voice in my ears an d
my eyes on His c rest ;
,

Wh ere the horses ounder an d plun g e an d th e

c aptains shout
A n d the Con ' ueror ride s in the van on H i s
stallion white
W h ether I f al l in the brea c h or go d own in th e
rout
L et there be neither p arley nor tru c e let me
di e in the ght
,

47

THE V I SI TAT ION

Now all the birds of Galilee

Sing roundelays in every tree
F or Mary goes to the hill country
,

And all the f urry c rea tures shy

That in the thickets dwell draw nigh
To see God s Mother p assin g by
,

The lily cups like c en s e rs nod

And sp read their pe rfumes all abroad
F o r honor to the B ride of God
-

Now whence is this Eli' abeth '

At thy do o r sill halt sin and d e ath
For Mary comes from Na ' areth
,

O thou whose barren age was bles t

Teach my dull heart to know its Gues t
And leap like ' ohn within my breast
,

TH E

IR I S H AT T HE FRO N T

B ecause of the deaths o f our fathers

In ancient years
B ecause of the blood of th e c hildren
The women s tears ;
,

B ecause of the blasted farmstead

The broken latch
The f oot of the s p y on the hearthstone
The burnin g thatch ;
,

B e c ause of the bush and the gallows

The felon s cell
B ecause of the n e and the famine

Connaught or Hell ;

F or these have we lef t the boreens

The Irish s ky
These are the things 0 England
F or whi c h we die
,

BE S ID E

TH E CR IB

Th y

li ttle hands against my heart

A r e as strong bands to bind me
SO tiny and so frail Thou art
A n d come so f ar to nd me

How so ft about Thy bab y brow

The ten d rilled hair is twini ng '
Close may I lean above Thee now
S ince Thou has t hi d Th y shining
,

My e y es run down with tears to se e

Thy up t urned face begu iling
A n d rapture in the soul of me
Is f ed up on Thy smi li ng
,

I f Thou wert not so little Lord

How should I come so near Thee '
F or thinking on Th y thundered word
I could not c hoos e but f ear Thee
,

51

T HE L ITTL E B LACK RO S E

N ot ed is all thin e ancient glo ry

D ark Roisin dear
Nor vani shed all thy knights of story
Unkn own to fe ar
,

hast th o u lovers t for we ar ing

The blade of F inn
are their hearts ar e with daring
Thy weal to win
,

Our days have heard their son g s beg uili n g

Their daun tless wor ds
Have seen again thy wan lips smiling
Through ash of swords
.

Once m o re the warriors stir in sleep ing

Their horses fret
mi d sound o f wee p in g
To hear again

The dread Not yet

,

53

D OM I NUS T E CUM
D a u g h te r I w as i n t h h e art
,
y
Re v e l ati o ns o
f S t C ath eri ne
.

S i ena

Wh ere were You Lord when mi d my sor e

alarms
B eni g hted in bleak W ay s I grop ed and c rie d
B e fore I f ound the shelter o f Your arms '

'our n ey ed

at

si d e

y ou r

L ord wh en Sorro w cl imbed

my s tai r
A nd many a w an ey e d v i gi l wi th me k ep t
Wh en I c oul d n d no s ola c e an yw here '
Wh ere

w e re '

ou ,

I watc h ed w i th y o u

Wh ere

w ere '

ou ,

an d

w ep t

L ord when Si n
,

and

I dr ew

near
A n d smil ed u p on ea ch other s et ap art ,
Befor e I tu rned wi th loath in g an d wi th f e ar '
I smi led wi thi n
y our h ear t
,

55