The Children Of Lir Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDE FGFG H H IJIKIIII LGLGFMFN AOAODKDK IHIHIIII IPIPDI IQIQFI IRIRII FIFIIGIG

Out upon the sand dunes thrive the coarse long grassesA
Herons standing knee deep in the brackish poolB
Overhead the sunset fire and flame amassesC
And the moon to eastward rises pale and coolB
Rose and green around her silver gray and pearlyD
Chequered with the black rooks flying home to bedE
For to wake at daybreak birds must couch them earlyD
And the day's a long one since the dawn was redE
-
On the chilly lakelet in that pleasant gloamingF
See the sad swans sailing they shall have no restG
Never a voice to greet them save the bittern's boomingF
Where the ghostly sallows sway against the WestG
'Sister ' saith the gray swan 'Sister I am weary '-
Turning to the white swan wet despairing eyesH
'O' she saith 'my young one O' she saith 'my dearie '-
Casts her wings about him with a storm of criesH
-
Woe for Lir's sweet children whom their vile stepmotherI
Glamoured with her witch spells for a thousand yearsJ
Died their father raving on his throne anotherI
Blind before the end came from the burning tearsK
Long the swans have wandered over lake and riverI
Gone is all the glory of the race of LirI
Gone and long forgotten like a dream of feverI
But the swans remember the sweet days that wereI
-
Hugh the black and white swan with the beauteous feathersL
Fiachra the black swan with the emerald breastG
Conn the youngest dearest sheltered in all weathersL
Him his snow white sister loves the tenderestG
These her mother gave her as she lay a dyingF
To her faithful keeping faithful hath she beenM
With her wings spread o'er them when the tempest's cryingF
And her songs so hopeful when the sky's sereneN
-
Other swans have nests made 'mid the reeds and rushesA
Lined with downy feathers where the cygnets sleepO
Dreaming if a bird dreams till the daylight blushesA
Then they sail out swiftly on the current deepO
With the proud swan father tall and strong and statelyD
And the mild swan mother grave with household caresK
All well born and comely all rejoicing greatlyD
Full of honest pleasure is a life like theirsK
-
But alas for my swans with the human natureI
Sick with human longings starved for human tiesH
With their hearts all human cramped to a bird's statureI
And the human weeping in the bird's soft eyesH
Never shall my swans build nests in some green riverI
Never fly to Southward in the autumn grayI
Rear no tender children love no mates for everI
Robbed alike of bird's joys and of man's are theyI
-
Babbles Conn the youngest 'Sister I rememberI
At my father's palace how I went in silkP
Ate the juicy deer flesh roasted from the emberI
Drank from golden goblets my child's draught of milkP
Once I rode a hunting laughed to see the hurryD
Shouted at the ball play on the lake did rowI
You had for your beauty gauds that shone so rarely '-
'Peace' saith Fionnuala 'that was long ago '-
-
'Sister ' saith Fiachra 'well do I rememberI
How the flaming torches lit the banquet hallQ
And the fire leapt skyward in the mid DecemberI
And among the rushes slept our staghounds tallQ
By our father's right hand you sat shyly gazingF
Smiling half and sighing with your eyes a glowI
As the bards sang loudly all your beauty praising '-
'Peace ' saith Fionnuala 'that was long ago '-
-
'Sister ' then saith Hugh 'most do I rememberI
One I called my brother one earth's goodliest manR
Strong as forest oaks are where the wild vines clamberI
First at feast or hunting in the battle's vanR
Angus you were handsome wise and true and tenderI
Loved by every comrade feared by every foeI
Low low lies your beauty all forgot your splendour '-
'Peace ' saith Fionnuala 'that was long ago '-
-
Dews are in the clear air and the roselight palingF
Over sands and sedges shines the evening starI
And the moon's disc lonely high in heaven is sailingF
Silvered all the spear heads of the rushes areI
Housed warm are all things as the night grows colderI
Water fowl and sky fowl dreamless in the nestG
But the swans go drifting drooping wing and shoulderI
Cleaving the still water where the fishes restG

Katharine Tynan



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