Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CAROLAN'S PROPHECY, by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS


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CAROLAN'S PROPHECY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: A sound of music, from amidst the hills
Last Line: A young sweet spirit gone.
Alternate Author Name(s): Browne, Felicia Dorothea
Subject(s): Courtship; Harps; Musical Instruments; O'carolan, Turlough (1670-1738); Prophecy & Prophets; Women; Lyres


A SOUND of music, from amidst the hills,
Came suddenly, and died; a fitful sound
Of mirth, soon lost in wail. Again it rose,
And sank in mournfulness. There sat a bard
By a blue stream of Erin, where it swept
Flashing through rock and wood: the sunset's light
Was on his wavy, silver-gleaming hair,
And the wind's whisper in the mountain ash,
Whose clusters drooped above. His head was bowed,
His hand was on his harp, yet thence its touch
Had drawn but broken strains; and many stood
Waiting around, in silent earnestness,
The unchaining of his soul, the gush of song --
Many and graceful forms! -- yet one alone
Seemed present to his dream; and she, indeed,
With her pale virgin brow, and changeful cheek,
And the clear starlight of her serious eyes,
Lovely amidst the flowing of dark locks
And pallid braiding flowers, was beautiful,
E'en painfully! -- a creature to behold
With trembling 'midst our joy, lest aught unseen
Should waft the vision from us, leaving earth
Too dim without its brightness! Did such fear
O'ershadow in that hour the gifted one,
By his own rushing stream? Once more he gazed
Upon the radiant girl, and yet once more
From the deep chords his wandering hand brought out
A few short festive notes, an opening strain
Of bridal melody, soon dashed with grief --
As if some wailing spirit in the strings
Met and o'ermastered him; but yielding then
To the strong prophet impulse, mournfully,
Like moaning waters o'er the harp he poured
The trouble of his haunted soul and sang --

"Voice of the grave!
I hear thy thrilling call;
It comes in the dash of the foaming wave,
In the sere leaf's trembling fall!
In the shiver of the tree,
I hear thee, O thou voice!
And I would thy warning were but for me,
That my spirit might rejoice.

"But thou art sent
For the sad earth's young and fair,
For the graceful heads that have not bent
To the wintry hand of care!
They hear the wind's low sigh,
And the river sweeping free,
And the green reeds murmuring heavily,
And the woods -- but they hear not thee!

"Long have I striven
With my deep-foreboding soul,
But the full tide now its bounds hath riven,
And darkly on must roll.
There's a young brow smiling near,
With a bridal white rose wreath --
Unto me it smiles from a flowery bier,
Touched solemnly by death!

"Fair art thou, Morna!
The sadness of thine eye
Is beautiful as silvery clouds
On the dark-blue summer sky!
And thy voice comes like the sound
Of a sweet and hidden rill,
That makes the dim woods tuneful round --
But soon it must be still!

"Silence and dust
On thy sunny lips must lie --
Make not the strength of love thy trust,
A stronger yet is nigh!
No strain of festal flow
That my hand for thee hath tried,
But into dirge-notes wild and low
Its ringing tones have died.

"Young art thou, Morna!
Yet on thy gentle head,
Like heavy dew on the lily's leaves,
A spirit hath been shed!
And the glance is thine which sees
Through nature's awful heart --
But bright things go with the summer breeze,
And thou too must depart!

"Yet, shall I weep?
I know that in thy breast
There swells a fount of song too deep
Too powerful for thy rest!
And the bitterness I know,
And the chill of this world's breath --
Go -- all undimmed in thy glory, go!
Young and crowned bride of death!

"Take hence to heaven
Thy holy thoughts and bright!
And soaring hopes, that were not given
For the touch of mortal blight!
Might we follow in thy track,
This parting should not be!
But the spring shall give us violets back,
And every flower but thee!"

There was a burst of tears around the bard:
All wept but one -- and she serenely stood,
With her clear brow and dark religious eye,
Raised to the first faint star above the hills,
And cloudless; though it might be that her cheek
Was paler than before. So Morna heard
The minstrel's prophecy.
And spring returned,
Bringing the earth her lovely things again --
All, save the loveliest far! A voice, a smile,
A young sweet spirit gone.





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