Echo by Thomas Moore
How sweet the answer Echo makes To music at night, When, roused by lute or horn, she wakes, And far away, o’er lawns and lakes, Goes answering light. Yet Love hath echoes truer far, And far more sweet, Than e’er beneath the moonlight’s star, Of horn or lute, or soft guitar, The songs repeat. ‘Tis […]
Drink To Her by Thomas Moore
Drink to her who long Hath waked the poet’s sigh, The girl who gave to song What gold could never buy. Oh! woman’s heart was made For minstrel hands alone; By other fingers play’d, It yields not half the tone. Then here’s to her who long Hath waked the poet’s sigh, The girl who gave […]
Drink of This Cup by Thomas Moore
Drink of this cup; — you’ll find there’s a spell in Its every drop ‘gainst the ills of mortality; Talk of the cordial that sparkled for Helen; Her cup was a fiction, but this is reality. Would you forget the dark world we are in Just taste of the bubble that gleams on the top […]
Did Not by Thomas Moore
‘Twas a new feeling; something more Than we had dared to own before, Which then we hid not; We saw it in each other’s eye, And wished, in every half-breathed sigh, To speak, but did not. She felt my lips’ impassioned touch; ‘Twas the first time I dared so much, And yet she chid not; […]
Dialogue Between a Sovereign and a One-Pound Note by Thomas Moore
Said a Sov’reign to a Note, In the pocket of my coat, Where they met in a neat purse of leather, “How happens it, I prithee, That though I’m wedded with thee, Fair Pound, we can never live together? Like your sex, fond of change, With silver you can range, And of lots of young […]
Desmond’s Song by Thomas Moore
By the Feal’s wave benighted, No star in the skies, To thy door by Love lighted, I first saw those eyes. Some voice whisper’d o’er me, As the threshold I cross’d, There was ruin before me, If I loved, I was lost. Love came, and brought sorrow Too soon in his train; Yet so sweet, […]
Dear Harp of my Country by Thomas Moore
Dear Harp of my Country! in darkness I found thee, The cold chain of Silence had hung o’er thee long. When proudly, my own Island Harp, I unbound thee, And gave all thy chords to light, freedom, and song. The warm lay of love and the light note of gladness Have waken’d thy fondest, thy […]
Cotton and Corn by Thomas Moore
Said Cotton to Corn, t’other day, As they met and exchang’d salute– (Squire Corn in his carriage so gay, Poor Cotton, half famish’d on foot): “Great Squire, if it isn’t uncivil To hint at starvation before you, Look down on a poor hungry devil, And give him some bread, I implore you!” Quoth Corn, then, […]
Come, Send Round the Wine by Thomas Moore
Come, send round the wine, and leave points of belief To simpleton sages and reasoning fools; This moment’s a flower too fair and brief To be wither’d and stain’d by the dust of the schools. Your glass may be purple, and mine may be blue, But, while they are fill’d from the same bright bowl, […]
Come, Rest in this Bosom by Thomas Moore
Come, rest in this bosom, my own stricken deer, Though the herd have fled from thee, thy home is still here; Here still is the smile, that no cloud can o’ercast, And a heart and a hand all thy own to the last. Oh! what was love made for, if ’tis not the same Through […]
Come O’er the Sea by Thomas Moore
Come o’er the sea, Maiden with me, Mine through sunshine, storm, and snows; Seasons may roll, But the true soul Burns the same, where’er it goes. Let fate frown on, so we love and part not; ‘Tis life where thou art, ’tis death were thou are not. Then come o’er the sea, Maiden with me, […]
By That Lake, Whose Gloomy Shore by Thomas Moore
By that Lake, whose gloomy shore Sky-lark never warbles o’er, Where the cliff hangs high and steep, Young Saint Kevin stole to sleep. “Here, at least,” he calmly said, “Woman ne’er shall find my bed.” Ah! the good Saint little knew What that wily sex can do. ‘Twas from Kathleen’s eyes he flew — Eyes […]
Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms by Thomas Moore
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, Which I gaze on so fondly to-day, Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms, Live fairy-gifts fading away, Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art, Let thy loveliness fade as it will, And around the dear ruin each wish of my […]
Befire the Battle by Thomas Moore
By the hope within us springing, Herald of to-morrow’s strife; By that sun, whose light is bringing Chains or freedom, death or life — Oh! remember life can be No charm for him, who lives not free! Like the day-star in the wave, Sinks a hero in his grave, ‘Midst the dew-fall of a nation’s […]
Avenging and Bright by Thomas Moore
Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin On him who the brave sons of Usna betray’d! — For every fond eye he hath waken’d a tear in A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o’er her blade. By the red cloud that hung over Conor’s dark dwelling, When Ulad’s three champions lay sleeping […]
At the Mid Hour of Night by Thomas Moore
At the mid hour of night, when stars are weeping, I fly To the lone vale we loved, when life shone warm in thine eye; And I think oft, if spirits can steal from the regions of air, To revisit past scenes of delight, thou wilt come to me there, And tell me our love […]
As Vanquish’d Erin by Thomas Moore
As vanquish’d Erin wept beside The Boyne’s ill-fated river, She saw where Discord, in the tide, Had dropp’d his loaded quiver. “Lie hid,” she cried, “ye venom’d darts, Where mortal eye may shun you; Lie hid — the stain of manly hearts, That bled for me, is on you.” But vain her wish, her weeping […]
As Slow Our Ship by Thomas Moore
As slow our ship her foamy track Against the wind was cleaving, Her trembling pennant still look’d back To that dear isle ’twas leaving. So loath we part from all we love, From all the links that bind us; So turn our hearts as on we rove, To those we’ve left behind us. When, round […]
As a Beam O’er the Face of the Waters May Glow by Thomas Moore
As a beam o’er the face of the waters may glow While the tide runs in darkness and coldness below, So the cheek may be tinged with a warm sunny smile, Though the cold heart to ruin runs darkly the while. One fatal remembrance, one sorrow that throws Its bleak shade alike o’er our joys […]
And Doth Not a Meeting Like This by Thomas Moore
And doth not a meeting like this make amends For all the long years I’ve been wandering away — To see thus around me my youth’s early friends, As smiling and kind as in that happy day? Though haply o’er some of your brows, as o’er mine, The snow — fall of time may be […]
An Incantation by Thomas Moore
Come with me, and we will blow Lots of bubbles, as we go; Bubbles bright as ever Hope Drew from fancy — or from soap; Bright as e’er the South Sea sent from its frothy element! Come with me, and we will blow Lots of bubbles, as we go. Mix the lather, Johnny W–lks, Thou, […]
An Expostulation to Lord King by Thomas Moore
How can you, my Lord, thus delight to torment all The Peers of realm about cheapening their corn, When you know, if one hasn’t a very high rental, ‘Tis hardly worth while being very high born? Why bore them so rudely, each night of your life, On a question, my Lord, there’s so much to […]
An Argument by Thomas Moore
I’ve oft been told by learned friars, That wishing and the crime are one, And Heaven punishes desires As much as if the deed were done. If wishing damns us, you and I Are damned to all our heart’s content; Come, then, at least we may enjoy Some pleasure for our punishment! ————— The End […]
Alone in Crowds to Wander On by Thomas Moore
Alone in crowds to wander on, And feel that all the charm is gone Which voices dear and eyes beloved Shed round us once, where’er we roved — This, this the doom must be Of all who’ve loved, and loved to see The few bright things they thought would stay For ever near them, die […]
All In a Family Way by Thomas Moore
My banks are all furnished with rags, So thick, even Freddy can’t thin ’em; I’ve torn up my old money-bags, Having little or nought to put in ’em. My tradesman are smashing by dozens, But this is all nothing, they say; For bankrupts, since Adam, are cousins, So, it’s all in the family way. My […]
After the Battle by Thomas Moore
Night closed around the conqueror’s way, And lightnings show’d the distant hill, Where those who lost that dreadful day Stood few and faint, but fearless still. The soldier’s hope, the patriot’s zeal, For ever dimm’d, for ever crost — Oh! who shall say what heroes feel, When all but life and honour’s lost? The last […]
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Walls breached Swords wielded, born from passions Of the heart Of hate Of others And of others beliefs Gave birth to murder. Rights breached Laws wielded, born from passions Of revenge To avenge Forefathers Who died when another Regime gave birth to fundamentalism. Hatred breached Flags wielded, born […]
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh The scholars cast the four wild winds Only Death the last thing sure And now the Knowledge dwells within And at the hearth sides of the poor And so it came to dawn the day That a visitor passing by In Gaelic tongue both pure and sure […]
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Brave was he in battle, and in the cattle chase But dumb of tongue he was ,awkward in love, Which is the most important race for men And he cried to the Gods for help above. Forlorn was he, so brave, as lesser braves As […]
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Two women, one old: one young Walk side by side, content The older, dressed as befits her faith: The other as befits her age in Ghent. With “Rock Chick” emblazoned on two crossed guitars, She may as well have been Belgian and white… The old woman, maybe her […]
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Walls breached Swords wielded, born from passions Of the heart Of hate Of others And of others beliefs Gave birth to murder. Rights breached Laws wielded, born from passions Of revenge To avenge Forefathers Who died when another Regime gave birth to fundamentalism. Hatred breached Flags wielded, born […]
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh The scholars cast the four wild winds Only Death the last thing sure And now the Knowledge dwells within And at the hearth sides of the poor And so it came to dawn the day That a visitor passing by In Gaelic tongue both pure and sure […]
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Brave was he in battle, and in the cattle chase But dumb of tongue he was ,awkward in love, Which is the most important race for men And he cried to the Gods for help above. Forlorn was he, so brave, as lesser braves As […]
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Two women, one old: one young Walk side by side, content The older, dressed as befits her faith: The other as befits her age in Ghent. With “Rock Chick” emblazoned on two crossed guitars, She may as well have been Belgian and white… The old woman, maybe her […]
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Walls at Drogheda by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Walls breached Swords wielded, born from passions Of the heart Of hate Of others And of others beliefs Gave birth to murder. Rights breached Laws wielded, born from passions Of revenge To avenge Forefathers Who died when another Regime gave birth to fundamentalism. Hatred breached Flags wielded, born […]
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Death of Knowledge by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh The scholars cast the four wild winds Only Death the last thing sure And now the Knowledge dwells within And at the hearth sides of the poor And so it came to dawn the day That a visitor passing by In Gaelic tongue both pure and sure […]
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
The Brave and the Love Flute by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Brave was he in battle, and in the cattle chase But dumb of tongue he was ,awkward in love, Which is the most important race for men And he cried to the Gods for help above. Forlorn was he, so brave, as lesser braves As […]
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Faith and Faiths by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh Two women, one old: one young Walk side by side, content The older, dressed as befits her faith: The other as befits her age in Ghent. With “Rock Chick” emblazoned on two crossed guitars, She may as well have been Belgian and white… The old woman, maybe her […]
Be Not a War Poet by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh
Be Not a War Poet by Tomás Ó Cárthaigh We have not the shot or shell Who read their poems from distant days Yet today it is still the same The dance of death that war it plays Other young men, not Flanders now Afghanistan, even Belfast Wars big and small, why fight at all […]
Remorse For Intemperate Speech by William Butler Yeats
I ranted to the knave and fool, But outgrew that school, Would transform the part, Fit audience found, but cannot rule My fanatic heart. I sought my betters: though in each Fine manners, liberal speech, Turn hatred into sport, Nothing said or done can reach My fanatic heart. Out of Ireland have we come. Great […]