The War Of Inis-thona Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D C E F G H I J J K L| Reflections on the poet's youth An apostrophe to Selma Oscar obtains leave to go to Inis thona an island of Scandinavia The mournful story of Argon and Ruro the two sons of the king of Inis thona Oscar revenges their death and returns in triumph to Selma A soliloquy by the poet himself | A |
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| Our youth is like the dream of the hunter on the hill of heath He sleeps in the mild beams of the sun he awakes amidst a storm the red lightning flies around trees shake their heads to the wind He looks back with joy on the day of the sun and the pleasant dreams of his rest When shall Ossian's youth return When his ear delight in the sound of arms When shall I like Oscar travel in the light of my steel Come with your streams ye hills of Cona listen to the voice of Ossian The song rises like the sun in my soul I feel the joys of other times | B |
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| I behold thy towers O Selma the oaks of thy shaded wall thy streams sound in my ear thy heroes gather round Fingal sits in the midst He leans on the shield of Trenmor his spear stands against the wall he listens to the songs of his bards The deeds of his arm are heard the actions of the king in his youth Oscar had returned from the chase and heard the hero's praise He took the shield of Branno from the wall his eyes were filed with tears Red was the cheek of youth His voice was trembling low My spear shook its bright head in his hand he spoke to Morven's king | C |
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| Fingal thou king of heroes Ossian next to him in war ye have fought in your youth your names are renowned in song Oscar is like the mist of Cona I appear and I vanish away The bard will not know my name The hunter will not search in the heath for my tomb Let me fight O heroes in the battles of Inis thona Distant is the land of my war ye shall not hear of Oscar's fall some bard may find me there some bard may give my name to song The daughter of the stranger shall see my tomb and weep over the youth that came from afar The bard shall say at the feast Hear the song of Oscar from the distant land | D |
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| Oscar replied the king of Morven thou shalt fight son of my fame Prepare my dark bosomed ship to carry my hero to Inis thona Son of my son regard our fame thou art of the race of renown let not the children of strangers say Feeble are the sons of Morven Be thou in battle a roaring storm mild as the evening sun in peace Tell Oscar to Inis thona's king that Fingal remembers his youth when we strove in the combat together in the days of Agandecca | C |
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| They lifted up the sounding sail the wind whistled through the thongs of their masts Waves lashed the oozy rocks the strength of ocean roars My son beheld from the wave the land of groves He rushed into Runa's sounding bay and sent his sword to Annir of spears The gray headed hero rose when he saw the sword of Fingal His eyes were full of tears he remembered his battles in youth Twice had they lifted the spear before the lovely Agandecca heroes stood far distant as if two spirits were striving in winds | E |
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| But now began the king I am old the Sword lies useless in my hall Thou who art of Morven's race Annir has seen the battle of spears but now he is pale and withered like the oak of Lano I have no son to meet thee with joy to bring thee to the halls of his fathers Argon is pale in the tomb and Ruro is no more My daughter is in the hall of strangers she longs to behold my tomb Her spouse shakes ten thousand spears he comes a cloud of death from Lano Come to share the feast of Annir son of echoing Morven | F |
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| Three days they feasted together On the fourth Annir heard the name of Oscar They rejoiced in the shell They pursued the boars of Runa Beside the fount of mossy stones the weary heroes rest The tear steals in secret from Annir he broke the rising sigh Here darkly rest the hero said the children of my youth This stone is the tomb of Ruro that tree sounds over the grave of Argon Do ye hear my voice O my sons within your narrow house Or do ye speak in these rustling leaves when the wind of the desert rises | G |
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| King of Inis thona said Oscar how fell the children of youth The wild boar rushes over their tombs but he does not disturb their repose They pursue deer formed of clouds and bend their airy bow They still love the sport of their youth and mount the wind with joy | H |
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| Cormalo replied the king is a chief of ten thousand spears He dwells at the waters of Lano which sends forth the vapor of death He came to Runa's echoing halls and sought the honor of the spear The youth was lovely as the first beam of the sun few were they who could meet him in fight My heroes yielded to Cormalo my daughter was seized in his love Argon and Ruro returned from the chase the tears of their pride descend they roll their silent eyes on Runa's heroes who had yielded to stranger Three days they feasted with Cormalo on the fourth young Argon fought But who could light with Argon Cormalo is overcome His heart swelled with the grief of pride he resolved in secret to behold the death of my sons They went to the hills of Runa they pursued the dark brown hinds The arrow of Cormalo flew in secret my children fell in blood He came to the maid of his love to Inis thona's long haired maid They fled over the desert Annir remained alone Night came on and day appeared nor Argon's voice nor Ruro's came At length their much loved dog was seen the fleet and bounding Runa He came into the hall and howled and seemed to look towards the place of their fall We followed him we found them here we laid them by this mossy stream This is the haunt of Annir when the chase of the hinds is past I bend like the trunk of an aged oak my tears for ever flow | I |
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| O Ronnan said the rising Oscar Osgar king of spears call my heroes to my side the sons of streamy Morven To day we go to Lano's water that sends forth the vapor of death Cormalo will not long rejoice death is often at the point of our swords | J |
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| They came over the desert like stormy clouds when the winds roll them along the heath their edges are tinged with lightning the echoing groves foresee the storm The horn of Oscar's battle is heard Lano shook over all its waves The children of the lake convened around the sounding shield of Cormalo Oscar fought as he was wont in war Cormalo fell beneath his sword the sons of dismal Lano fled to their secret vales Oscar brought the daughter of Inis thona to Annir's echoing halls The face of age is bright with joy he blest the king of swords | J |
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| How great was the joy of Ossian when he beheld the distant sail of his son it was like a cloud of light that rises in the east when the traveller is sad in a land unknown and dismal night with her ghosts is sitting around in shades We brought him with songs to Selma's halls Fingal spread the feast of shells A thousand bards raised the name of Oscar Morven answered to the sound The daughter of Toscar was there her voice was like the harp when the distant sound comes in the evening on the soft rustling breeze of the vale | K |
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| O lay me ye that see the light near some rock of my hills let the thick hazels be around let the rustling oak be near Green be the place of my rest let the sound of the distant torrent be heard Daughter of Toscar take the harp and raise the lovely song of Selma that sleep may overtake my soul in the midst of joy that the dreams of my youth may return and the days of the mighty Fingal Selma I behold thy towers thy trees thy shaded wall I see the heroes of Morven I hear the song of bards Oscar lifts the sword of Cormalo a thousand youths admire its studded thongs They look with wonder on my son they admire the strength of his arm They mark the joy of his father's eyes they long for an equal fame and ye shall have your fame O sons of streamy M | L |
James Macpherson
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