Poems - Denis Florence MacCarthy (good books to read .txt) 📗

When, from rock to rock descending, to sweet Alice he was drawn,
As through Ceim-an-eich he hunted from the dawn.

The magic chain is broken-no fairy vow is spoken- From his trance he hath awoken, and once again is free; And gone is Una's palace, and vain the wild steed's malice, And again to gentle Alice down he wends through Ceim-an-eich: The moon is calmly shining over mountain, stream, and tree,
And the yellow sea-plants glisten through the sea.

The sun his gold is flinging, the happy birds are singing, And bells are gaily ringing along Glengariff's sea; And crowds in many a galley to the happy marriage rally Of the maiden of the valley and the youth of Ceim-an-eich; Old eyes with joy are weeping, as all ask on bended knee
A blessing, gentle Alice, upon thee!


99. The pass of Keim-an-eigh (the path of the deer) lies to the south-west of Inchageela, in the direction of Bantry Bay.

100. The lusmore (or fairy cap), literally the great herb, 'Digitalis purpurea.'

101. The Phooka is described as belonging to the malignant class of fairy beings, and he is as wild and capricious in his character as he is changeable in his form. At one time an eagle or an 'ignis fatuus,' at another a horse or a bull, while occasionally he figures as a compound of the calf and goat. When he assumes the form of a horse, his great object, according to a recent writer, seems to be to obtain a rider, and then he is in his most malignant glory.-See Croker's "Fairy Legends."

102. Mialloch, "the murmuring river" at Glengariff.-Smith's "Cork."

103. Glashenglora, a mountain torrent, which finds its way into the Atlantic Ocean through Glengariff, in the west of the county of Cork. The name, literally translated, signifies "the noisy green water."-Barry's "Songs of Ireland," p. 173.

104. There is a great square rock, literally resembling the description in the text, which stands near the Glengariff entrance to the pass of Ceim-an-eich.


National Poems and Songs.


ADVANCE!

God bade the sun with golden step sublime,
Advance! He whispered in the listening ear of Time,
Advance! He bade the guiding spirits of the stars, With lightning speed, in silver shining cars, Along the bright floor of his azure hall,
Advance! Sun, stars, and time obey the voice, and all
Advance!

The river at its bubbling fountain cries,
Advance! The clouds proclaim, like heralds through the skies,
Advance! Throughout the world the mighty Master's laws Allow not one brief moment's idle pause; The earth is full of life, the swelling seeds
Advance! And summer hours, like flowery harnessed steeds,
Advance!

To man's most wondrous hand the same voice cried,
Advance! Go clear the woods, and o'er the bounding tide
Advance! Go draw the marble from its secret bed, And make the cedar bend its giant head; Let domes and columns through the wondering air
Advance! The world, O man! is thine; but, wouldst thou share,
Advance!

Unto the soul of man the same voice spoke,
Advance! From out the chaos, thunder-like, it broke,
"Advance! Go track the comet in its wheeling race, And drag the lightning from its hiding-place; From out the night of ignorance and fears,
Advance! For Love and Hope, borne by the coming years,
Advance!"

All heard, and some obeyed the great command,
Advance! It passed along from listening land to land,
Advance! The strong grew stronger, and the weak grew strong, As passed the war-cry of the world along- Awake, ye nations, know your powers and rights-
Advance! Through hope and work to Freedom's new delights,
Advance!

Knowledge came down and waved her steady torch,
Advance! Sages proclaimed 'neath many a marble porch,
Advance! As rapid lightning leaps from peak to peak, The Gaul, the Goth, the Roman, and the Greek, The painted Briton caught the wing`ed word,
Advance! And earth grew young, and carolled as a bird,
Advance!

O Ireland! oh, my country, wilt thou not
Advance? Wilt thou not share the world's progressive lot?-
Advance! Must seasons change, and countless years roll on, And thou remain a darksome Ajalon? And never see the crescent moon of Hope
Advance? 'Tis time thine heart and eye had wider scope-
Advance!

Dear brothers, wake! look up! be firm! be strong
Advance! From out the starless night of fraud and wrong
Advance! The chains have fall'n from off thy wasted hands, And every man a seeming freedman stands;- But, ah! 'tis in the soul that freedom dwells,-
Advance! Proclaim that there thou wearest no manacles;-
Advance!

Advance! thou must advance or perish now;-
Advance! Advance! Why live with wasted heart and brow?-
Advance! Advance! or sink at once into the grave; Be bravely free or artfully a slave! Why fret thy master, if thou must have one?
Advance! Advance three steps, the glorious work is done;-
Advance!

The first is COURAGE-'tis a giant stride!-
Advance! With bounding step up Freedom's rugged side
Advance! KNOWLEDGE will lead thee to the dazzling heights, TOLERANCE will teach and guard thy brother's rights. Faint not! for thee a pitying Future waits-
Advance! Be