Comala, A Dramatic Poem Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C C D E D E D D E F G C H I E J K G C D C C L D D D M N J E D| This poem is valuable on account of the light it throws on the antiquity of Ossian's compositions The Caracul mentioned here is the same with Caracalla the son of Severus who in the year commanded an expedition against the Caledonians The variety of the measure shows that the poem was originally set to music and perhaps presented before the chiefs upon solemn occasions Tradition has handed down the story more complete than it is in the poem Comala the daughter of Sarno king of Inistore or Orkney Islands fell in love with Fingal the son of Comhal at a feast to which her father had invited him Fingal B III upon his return from Lochlin after the death of Agandecca Her passion was so violent that she followed him disguised like a youth who wanted to be employed in his wars She was soon discovered by Hidallan the son of Lamor one of Fingal's heroes whose love she had slighted some time before Her romantic passion and beauty recommended her so much to the king that he had resolved to make her his wife when news was brought him of Caracul's expedition He marched to stop the progress of the enemy and Comala attended him He left her on a hill within sight of Caracul's army when he himself went to battle having previously promised if he survived to return that night The sequel of the story may be gathered from the poem itself | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| The Persons | B |
| - | |
| FINGAL | C |
| - | |
| COMALA | C |
| - | |
| HIDALLAN | D |
| - | |
| MELILCOMA Daughters | E |
| - | |
| DERSAGRENA of Morni | D |
| - | |
| BARDS | E |
| - | |
| Dersagrena The chase is over No noise on Erdven but the torrent's roar Daughter of Morni come from Crona's banks Lay down the bow and take the harp Let the night come on with songs let our joy be great on Ardven | D |
| - | |
| Melilcoma Night comes on apace thou blue eyed maid gray night grows dim along the plain I saw a deer at Crona's stream a mossy bank he seemed through the gloom but soon he bounded away A meteor played round his branching horns the awful faces of other times looked from the clouds of Crona | D |
| - | |
| Dersagrena These are the signs of Fingal's death The king of shields is fallen and Caracul prevails Rise Comala from thy rock daughter of Sarno rise in tears the youth of thy love is low his ghost is on our hills | E |
| - | |
| Melilcoma There Comala sits forlorn two gray dogs near shake their rough ears and catch the flying breeze Her red cheek rests upon her arm the mountain wind is in her hair She turns her blue eyes towards the fields of his promise Where art thou O Fingal The night is gathering around | F |
| - | |
| Comala O Carun of the streams why do I behold thy waters rolling in blood Has the noise of the battle been heard and sleeps the king of Morven Rise moon thou daughter of the sky look from between thy clouds rise that I may behold the gleam of his steel on the field of his promise Or rather let the meteor that lights our fathers through the night come with its red beam to show me the way to my fallen hero Who will defend me from sorrow Who from the love of Hidallan Long shall Comala look before she can behold Fingal in the midst of his host bright as the coming forth of the morning in the cloud of an early shower | G |
| - | |
| Hidallan Dwell thou mist of gloomy Crona dwell on the path of the king Hide his steps from mine eyes let me remember my friend no more The bands of battle are scattered no crowding tread round the noise of his steel O Carun roll thy streams of blood the chief of the people is low | C |
| - | |
| Comala Who fell on Carun's sounding banks son of the cloudy night Was he white as the snow of Ardven Blooming as the bow of the shower Was his hair like the mist of the hill soft and curling in the day of the sun Was he like the thunder of heaven in battle Fleet as the roe of the desert | H |
| - | |
| Hidallan O that I might behold his love fair leaning from her rock Her red eye dim in tears her blushing cheek half hid in her locks Blow O gentle breeze lift thou the heavy locks of the maid that I may behold her white arm her lovely cheek in her grief | I |
| - | |
| Comala And is the son of Comhal fallen chief of the mournful tale The thunder rolls on the hill The lightning flies on wings of fire They frighten not Comala for Fingal is low Say chief of the mournful tale fell the breaker of the shields | E |
| - | |
| Hidallan The nations are scattered on their hills they shall hear the voice of the king no more | J |
| - | |
| Comala Confusion pursue thee over thy plains Ruin overtake thee thou king of the world Few be thy steps to thy grave and let one virgin mourn thee Let her be like Comala tearful in the days of her youth Why hast thou told me Hidallan that my hero fell I might have hoped a little while his return I might have thought I saw him on the distant rock a tree might have deceived me with his appearance the wind of the hill might have been the sound of his horn in mine ear O that I were on the banks or Carun that my tears might be warm on his cheek | K |
| - | |
| Hidallan He lies not on the banks of Carun on Ardven heroes raise his tomb Look on them O moon from thy clouds be thy beam bright on his breast that Comala may behold him in the light of his armor | G |
| - | |
| Comala Stop ye sons of the grave till I behold lily love He left me at the chase alone I knew not that he went to war He said he would return with the night the king of Morven is returned Why didst thou not tell me that he would fall O trembling dweller of the rock Thou sawest him in the blood of his youth but thou didst not tell Comala | C |
| - | |
| Melilcoma What sound is that on Ardven Who is that bright in the vale Who comes like the strength of rivers when their crowded waters glitter to the moon | D |
| - | |
| Comala Who is it but the foe of Comala the son of the king of the world Ghost of Fingal do thou from thy cloud direct Comala's bow Let him fall like the hart of the desert It is Fingal in the crowd of his ghosts Why dost thou come my love to frighten and please my soul | C |
| - | |
| Fingal Raise ye bards the song raise the wars of the streamy Carun Caracul has fled from our arms along the field of his pride He sets far distant like a meteor that encloses a spirit of night when the winds drive it over the heath and the dark woods are gleaming around I heard a voice or was it the breeze of my hills Is it the huntress of Ardven the white handed daughter of Sarno Look from the rocks my love let me hear the voice of Comala | C |
| - | |
| Comala Take me to the cave of thy rest O lovely son of death | L |
| - | |
| Fingal Come to the cave of my rest The storm is past the sun is on our fields Come to the cave of my rest huntress of echoing Ardven | D |
| - | |
| Comala He is returned with his fame I feel the right hand of his wars But I must rest beside the rock till my soul returns from my fear O let the harp be near raise the song ye daughters of Morna | D |
| - | |
| Dersagrena Comala has slain three deer on Ardven the fire ascends on the rock go to the feast of Comala king of the woody Morven | D |
| - | |
| Fingal Raise ye sons of song the wars of the streamy Carun that my white handed maid may rejoice while I behold the feast of my love | M |
| - | |
| Bards Roll streamy Carun roll in joy the sons of battle are fled the steed is not seen on our fields the wings of their pride spread on other lands The sun will now rise in peace and the shadows descend in joy The voice of the chase will be heard the shields hang in the hall Our delight will be in the war of the ocean our hands shall grow red in the blood of Lochlin Roll streamy Carun roll in joy the sons of battle fled | N |
| - | |
| Melilcoma Descend ye light mists from high Ye moonbeams lift her soul Pale lies the maid at the rock Comala is no more | J |
| - | |
| Fingal Is the daughter of Sarno dead the white bosomed maid of my love Meet me Comala on my heaths when I sit alone at the streams of my hills | E |
| - | |
| Hidallan Ceased the voice of the huntress of Ardven why did I trouble the | D |
James Macpherson
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Comala, A Dramatic Poem poem by James Macpherson
Best Poems of James Macpherson