Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MINUETTE, by JAMES STEPHENS Poet's Biography First Line: The moon shines Last Line: Take carelessly, and carelessly. Variant Title(s): On The Freedom Of Ireland Subject(s): Nationalism - Ireland | ||||||||
(1) The moon shines, And the wind blows, And the heart knows, Carelessly, and carelessly! That to them each thing inclines, And that everything is free! All that is, is given to thee! Take the love, that comes and goes! Uncomplaining, thankless, be, As the moon, the bird, the rose, Thankless, uncomplaining, are Beauty, Music, and a Star! (2) Call, and come, and come, and call! Nothing is denied the gay! All to each, and each to all, Fall, and flow, and go away; As the moon shines, and the heart knows; Carelessly, as the wind blows! Not for duty we fulfill Lovely motions -- 'tis for naught! All the will of good and ill, All of ignorance, and thought, All are harmless, if we are Free as Wind, and Rose, and Star. (3) Taking all of cherishing That befall, or may not fall, As a happy, chancing, thing, Some for each, and all for all; Taking all the haps that be Carelessly, and carelessly! Life comes on, with not a word! Love is love, on no demand! Death, unasked, hath him bestirred, Lifting all up by the hand! All that fall he stoops above Lovingly, for he is Love! (4) Love is round, and round, and round! Everywhere, in every spot, It is lost, and it is found, Here it is -- and here is not! Man, and beast, and bird, and snake, Take, and take, and take, and take, As the Moon takes up the sight! As the Rose takes up the shower! As the Heart takes all Delight, Might and Beauty for its dower! All that is -- for all is free -- Take carelessly, and carelessly. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NATIONALITY by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF CONSCIENCE by SEAMUS HEANEY A SONG OF FREEDOM by ALICE MILLIGAN REGINA MENDOSENA by NATHALIA CRANE A NATION ONCE AGAIN by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS A PLEA FOR THE BOG-TROTTERS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS A SECOND PLEA FOR THE BOG-TROTTERS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS CELTS AND SAXONS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS LAMENT FOR THE MILESIANS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS |
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