Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
236 She is frolicsome and lightsome as the roe; She is here and she is there, On the earth or in the air, Ever changing, floats the Spirit of the Snow. Now a daring climber, she Mounts the tallest forest tree-- Out along the giddy branches doth she go; And her tassels, silver-white, Down swinging through the night, Mark the pillow of the Spirit of the Snow. Now she climbs the mighty mast, When the sailor boy at last Dreams of home in his hammock down below There she watches in his stead Till the morning sun shines red, Then evanishes the Spirit of the Snow. Or crowning with white fire. The minster's topmost spire With a glory such as sainted foreheads show; She teaches fanes are given Thus to lift the heart to heaven, There to melt like the Spirit of the Snow. Now above the loaded wain, Now beneath the thundering train, Doth she hear the sweet bells tinkle and the snorting engine blow; Now she flutters on the breeze, Till the branches of the trees Catch the tossed and tangled tresses of the Spirit of the Snow. Now an infant's balmy breath Gives the spirit seeming death, When adown her pallid features fair Decay's damp dew-drops flow; Now again her strong assault Can make an army halt, And trench itself in terror 'gainst the Spirit of the Snow. At times with gentle power,
237 In visiting some bower, She scarce will hide the holly's red, the blackness of the sloe; But, ah! her awful might, When down some Alpine height The hapless hamlet sinks before the Spirit of the Snow. On a feather she floats down The turbid rivers brown, Down to meet the drifting navies of the winter-freighted floe; Then swift o'er the azure walls Of the awful waterfalls, Where Niagara leaps roaring, glides the Spirit of the Snow. With her flag of truce unfurled, She makes peace o'er all the world-- Makes bloody battle cease awhile, and war's unpitying woe; Till, its hollow womb within, The deep dark-mouthed culverin Encloses, like a cradled child, the Spirit of the Snow. She uses in her need The fleetly-flying steed-- Now tries the rapid reindeer's strength, and now the camel slow; Or, ere defiled by earth, Unto her place of birth, Returns upon the eagle's wing the Spirit of the Snow. Oft with pallid figure bowed, Like the Banshee in her shroud, Doth the moon her spectral shadow o'er some silent gravestone throw; Then moans the fitful wail, And the wanderer grows pale, Till at morning fades the phantom of the Spirit of the Snow. In her ermine cloak of state She sitteth at the gate Of some winter-prisoned princess in her palace by the Po; Who dares not to come forth Till back unto the North Flies the beautiful besieger--the Spirit of the Snow.
- 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 and 220: 219 And a voice rings out through t
- Page 221 and 222: 221 But soon had come the final com
- 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: 235 The wit and song, the name and
- 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
- Page 271 and 272: 271 115. The abbey on the grounds o
- Page 273 and 274: 273 Like thee, when wet with heaven
- Page 275 and 276: 275 'Tis warmed by an internal heat
- Page 277 and 278: 277 Their names be written in the B
- Page 279 and 280: 279 August 28, 1870. 119. Written d
- Page 281 and 282: 281 or 'girrinna.' The bird, at lea
- Page 283 and 284: 283 Ferdiah. line 69 [birds sing] {
237<br />
In visiting some bower,<br />
She scarce will hide the holly's red, the blackness of the sloe;<br />
But, ah! her awful might,<br />
When down some Alpine height<br />
The hapless hamlet sinks before the Spirit of the Snow.<br />
On a feather she floats down<br />
The turbid rivers brown,<br />
Down to meet the drifting navies of the winter-freighted floe;<br />
Then swift o'er the azure walls<br />
Of the awful waterfalls,<br />
Where Niagara leaps roaring, glides the Spirit of the Snow.<br />
With her flag of truce unfurled,<br />
She makes peace o'er all the world--<br />
Makes bloody battle cease awhile, and war's unpitying woe;<br />
Till, its hollow womb within,<br />
The deep dark-mouthed culverin<br />
Encloses, like a cradled child, the Spirit of the Snow.<br />
She uses in her need<br />
The fleetly-flying steed--<br />
Now tries the rapid reindeer's strength, and now the camel slow;<br />
Or, ere defiled by earth,<br />
Unto her place of birth,<br />
Returns upon the eagle's wing the Spirit of the Snow.<br />
Oft with pallid figure bowed,<br />
Like the Banshee in her shroud,<br />
Doth the moon her spectral shadow o'er some silent gravestone throw;<br />
Then moans the fitful wail,<br />
And the wanderer grows pale,<br />
Till at morning fades the phantom of the Spirit of the Snow.<br />
In her ermine cloak of state<br />
She sitteth at the gate<br />
Of some winter-prisoned princess in her palace by the Po;<br />
Who dares not to come forth<br />
Till back unto the North<br />
Flies the beautiful besieger--the Spirit of the Snow.