Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TURN OF THE TIDE, by ROSE KAVANAGH


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TURN OF THE TIDE, by                    
First Line: Green waves, green waves, whose thunder woke


Green waves, green waves, whose thunder woke Wild
Green waves, green waves, whose thunder woke Wild
music 'neath the deep sea-wall,
music 'neath the deep sea-wall,
Till every fairy echo spoke
Till every fairy echo spoke
From Duan's cave in Donegal.
From Duan's cave in Donegal.
We leant and laughed above the tide.
We leant and laughed above the tide.
What wine was like this Irish breeze
What wine was like this Irish breeze
That swept the spray from side to side,
That swept the spray from side to side,
And rocked the quaint, sea-stunted trees?
And rocked the quaint, sea-stunted trees?
My little nephew's gleeful lace
My little nephew's gleeful lace
Was like the sea-pink swinging nigh,
Was like the sea-pink swinging nigh,
As leaving my safe-sheltered place
As leaving my safe-sheltered place
He sprang upon a rock hard by,
He sprang upon a rock hard by,
And tossed his arms above his head,
And tossed his arms above his head,
And sang while dancing to and fro;
And sang while dancing to and fro;
Then one wild cry - he fell like lead
Then one wild cry - he fell like lead
Down to the seething gulf below!
Down to the seething gulf below!
That frenzied moment - ah! I know
That frenzied moment - ah! I know
Not how I gained the water's brink;
Not how I gained the water's brink;
Nor how such agony of woe
Nor how such agony of woe
Left heart and brain with power to think.
Left heart and brain with power to think.
So dear he was! Oh, doubly dear
So dear he was! Oh, doubly dear
Because his parents far away
Because his parents far away
Left him with us when longer here
Left him with us when longer here
'Neath landlord law they could not stay.
'Neath landlord law they could not stay.
I fought the boiling surf, and watched
I fought the boiling surf, and watched
Each rising wave with bated breath, I said:
Each rising wave with bated breath, I said:
"my darling may be snatched
"my darling may be snatched
Even yet from out the jaws of death.'
Even yet from out the jaws of death.'
So dear he was! More dear to me
So dear he was! More dear to me
Than all the wide world held beside;
Than all the wide world held beside;
For his sweet mother's memory
For his sweet mother's memory
Was linked with all my love and pride.
Was linked with all my love and pride.
In vain my watch throughout the storm;
In vain my watch throughout the storm;
When hope died hard, I cried to God:
When hope died hard, I cried to God:
"Give back his little lifeless form,
"Give back his little lifeless form,
And I will bear your chastening rod.'
And I will bear your chastening rod.'
Ten hours the tide had still to stay;
Ten hours the tide had still to stay;
Kneeling I watched its ebb and flow;
Kneeling I watched its ebb and flow;
But what I suffered then I pray
But what I suffered then I pray
No other woman's heart may know.
No other woman's heart may know.
The sky was calm, the day nigh done,
The sky was calm, the day nigh done,
Before the glistening strand lay bare;
Before the glistening strand lay bare;
I searched its shallows one by one,
I searched its shallows one by one,
My wee dead dearie was not there.
My wee dead dearie was not there.
And once within a quiet pool
And once within a quiet pool
I saw the face that was my own
I saw the face that was my own
All aged, shrunk and pitiful,
All aged, shrunk and pitiful,
The hair snow-white, the eyes like stone.
The hair snow-white, the eyes like stone.
At last ... what filled that narrow space?
At last ... what filled that narrow space?
... I never knew. Two kisses fell
... I never knew. Two kisses fell
Uupon my sleeping tear-drenched face:
Uupon my sleeping tear-drenched face:
The little lad I love so well
The little lad I love so well
Broke my bad dream. Oh! he was here,
Broke my bad dream. Oh! he was here,
Living and laughing; high o'er all
Living and laughing; high o'er all
God's blessed sun was shining clear,
God's blessed sun was shining clear,
And we were far from Donegal!
And we were far from Donegal!






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