Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
220 In the watches of the night, In the shine and in the shower, I shall work but for thy right." 1782-1800. A dazzling gleam of evanescent glory, Had passed away, and all was dark once more, One golden page had lit the mournful story, Which ruthless hands with envious rage out-tore. One glorious sun-burst, radiant and far-reaching, Had pierced the cloudy veil dark ages wove, When full-armed Freedom rose from Grattan's teaching, As sprang Minerva from the brain of Jove. Oh! in the transient light that had outbroken, How all the land with quickening fire was lit! What golden words of deathless speech were spoken, What lightning flashes of immortal wit! Letters and arts revived beneath its beaming, Commerce and Hope outspread their swelling sails, And with "Free Trade" upon their standard gleaming, Now feared no foes and dared adventurous gales. Across the stream the graceful arch extended, Above the pile the rounded dome arose, The soaring spire to heaven's high vault ascended, The loom hummed loud as bees at evening's close. And yet 'mid all this hope and animation, The people still lay bound in bigot chains, Freedom that gave some slight alleviation, Could dare no panacea for their pains. Yet faithful to their country's quick uprising, Like some fair island from volcanic waves, They shared the triumph though their claims despising, And hailed the freedom though themselves were slaves.
221 But soon had come the final compensation, Soon would the land one brotherhood have known, Had not some spell of hellish incantation The new-formed fane of Freedom overthrown. In one brief hour the fair mirage had faded, No isle of flowers lay glad on ocean's green, But in its stead, deserted and degraded, The barren strand of Slavery's shore was seen. 1800-1829. Yet! 'twas on that barren strand Sing his praise throughout the world! Yet, 'twas on that barren strand, O'er a cowed and broken band, That his solitary hand Freedom's flag unfurled. Yet! 'twas there in Freedom's cause, Freedom from unequal laws, Freedom for each creed and class, For humanity's whole mass, That his voice outrang;-- And the nation at a bound, Stirred by the inspiring sound, To his side up-sprang. Then the mighty work began, Then the war of thirty years-- Peaceful war, when words were spears, And religion led the van. When O'Connell's voice of power, Day by day and hour by hour, Raining down its iron shower, Laid oppression low, Till at length the war was o'er, And Napoleon's conqueror, Yielded to a mightier foe.
- Page 169 and 170: 169 The last great champion of the
- Page 171 and 172: 171 To be hushed, to be whipt, Its
- Page 173 and 174: 173 March 11th, 1856. 107. It is st
- Page 175 and 176: 175 A glorious wreath my happy hand
- Page 177 and 178: 177 Thine emerald robes are held fo
- Page 179 and 180: 179 Let us seek the wandering May,
- Page 181 and 182: 181 The wing`ed flame to the rosebu
- Page 183 and 184: 183 Of the life that follows this,
- Page 185 and 186: 185 Is with the flowers the time of
- Page 187 and 188: 187 Or following its devious course
- Page 189 and 190: 189 In Andalusia's Eden clime, Or '
- Page 191 and 192: 191 One, who is labour's useful tra
- Page 193 and 194: 193 Supports the mightiest crown on
- Page 195 and 196: 195 They twin'd their trembling han
- Page 197 and 198: 197 And grateful joy, the first and
- Page 199 and 200: 199 All their silvery stores, There
- Page 201 and 202: 201 Now with elf-locks dripping Fro
- Page 203 and 204: 203 Rises soaring to heaven in its
- Page 205 and 206: 205 Nought could resist his mighty
- Page 207 and 208: 207 The modest maiden May. Oh! she
- Page 209 and 210: 209 And as the thoughtless children
- Page 211 and 212: 211 And the young Year rose from hi
- Page 213 and 214: 213 THE FIRST OF THE ANGELS. Hush!
- Page 215 and 216: 215 And a blessing to the low. When
- Page 217 and 218: 217 Centenary Odes. O'CONNELL. AUGU
- Page 219: 219 And a voice rings out through t
- Page 223 and 224: 223 And grateful hearts invoked a b
- Page 225 and 226: 225 He slept by the soft Ligurian S
- Page 227 and 228: 227 In words though weak, in hues t
- Page 229 and 230: 229 The Homer of the West. He sings
- Page 231 and 232: 231 'Twas thus he sang, And while t
- Page 233 and 234: 233 The whole horizon fills. Or the
- Page 235 and 236: 235 The wit and song, the name and
- Page 237 and 238: 237 In visiting some bower, She sca
- Page 239 and 240: 239 'Tis Love, methought, blind Lov
- Page 241 and 242: 241 Thou by my side, fair vision, u
- Page 243 and 244: 243 Where scarce a flower that now
- Page 245 and 246: 245 Ah! wondrous is the lot of him
- Page 247 and 248: 247 And rob the heavens of stars fo
- Page 249 and 250: 249 What without me were all the po
- Page 251 and 252: 251 RECOLLECTIONS. Ah! summer time,
- Page 253 and 254: 253 Near to the lilacs round the po
- Page 255 and 256: 255 DOLORES. The moon of my soul is
- Page 257 and 258: 257 Of thy young heart's fond ambit
- Page 259 and 260: 259 'Tis Baiae, by a softer blue! G
- Page 261 and 262: 261 The songs melodious, which--a n
- Page 263 and 264: 263 The poet's dream--the lover's j
- Page 265 and 266: 265 And the ivy clothes the wall, T
- Page 267 and 268: 267 Let the spring-tide of Hope sen
- Page 269 and 270: 269 DARRYNANE. [Written in 1844, af
221<br />
But soon had come the final compensation,<br />
Soon would the land one brotherhood have known,<br />
Had not some spell of hellish incantation<br />
The new-formed fane of Freedom overthrown.<br />
In one brief hour the fair mirage had faded,<br />
No isle of flowers lay glad on ocean's green,<br />
But in its stead, deserted and degraded,<br />
The barren strand of Slavery's shore was seen.<br />
1800-1829.<br />
Yet! 'twas on that barren strand<br />
Sing his praise throughout the world!<br />
Yet, 'twas on that barren strand,<br />
O'er a cowed and broken band,<br />
That his solitary hand<br />
Freedom's flag unfurled.<br />
Yet! 'twas there in Freedom's cause,<br />
Freedom from unequal laws,<br />
Freedom for each creed and class,<br />
For humanity's whole mass,<br />
That his voice outrang;--<br />
And the nation at a bound,<br />
Stirred by the inspiring sound,<br />
To his side up-sprang.<br />
Then the mighty work began,<br />
Then the war of thirty years--<br />
Peaceful war, when words were spears,<br />
And religion led the van.<br />
When O'Connell's voice of power,<br />
Day by day and hour by hour,<br />
Raining down its iron shower,<br />
Laid oppression low,<br />
Till at length the war was o'er,<br />
And Napoleon's conqueror,<br />
Yielded to a mightier foe.
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