Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LAMENT FOR THE MILESIANS, by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS Poet's Biography First Line: Oh! Proud were the chieftains of green inis-fail Last Line: As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Subject(s): Nationalism - Ireland | ||||||||
I. OH! proud were the chieftains of green Inis-Fail As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! The stars of our sky, and the salt of our soil; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Their hearts were as soft as a child in the lap, Yet they were "the men in the gap" -- And now that the cold clay their limbs doth enwrap; -- As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! II. 'Gainst England long battling, at length they went down; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! But they left their deep tracks on the road of renown; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! We are heirs of their fame, if we're not of their race, -- And deadly and deep our disgrace, If we live o'er their sepulchres, abject and base; -- As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! III. Oh! sweet were the minstrels of kind Inis-Fail! As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Whose music, nor ages nor sorrow can spoil; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh But their sad stifled tones are like streams flowing hid, Their caoine and their piopracht were chid, And their language, "that melts into music," forbid; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! IV. How fair were the maidens of fair Inis-Fail! As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! As fresh and as free as the sea-breeze from soil, As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Oh! are not our maidens as fair and as pure? Can our music no longer allure? And can we but sob, as such wrongs we endure? As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! V. Their famous, their holy, their dear Inis-Fail! As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Shall it still be a prey for the stranger to spoil? As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! Sure, brave men would labour by night and by day To banish that stranger away; Or, dying for Ireland, the future would say As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! VI. Oh! shame -- for unchanged is the face of our isle; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! That taught them to battle, to sing, and to smile; As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! We are heirs of their rivers, their sea, and their land, -- Our sky and our mountains as grand -- [hand, We are heirs -- oh! we're not -- of their heart and their As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NATIONALITY by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF CONSCIENCE by SEAMUS HEANEY A SONG OF FREEDOM by ALICE MILLIGAN REGINA MENDOSENA by NATHALIA CRANE A NATION ONCE AGAIN by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS A PLEA FOR THE BOG-TROTTERS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS A SECOND PLEA FOR THE BOG-TROTTERS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS CELTS AND SAXONS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS O'CONNELL'S STATUE by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS CLARE'S DRAGOONS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS FONTENOY by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS LAMENT FOR THE DEATH OF EOGHAN RUADH (OWEN ROE) O'NEIL by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS |
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