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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
INFELIX FELIX, by THOMAS D'ARCY MCGEE Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: Why is his name unsung, o minstrel host? | |||
Why is his name unsung, O minstrel host? Why do ye pass his memory like a ghost? Why is no rose, no laurel, on his grave? Was he not constant, vigilant and brave? Why, when that hero-age ye deify. Why do ye pass Infelix Felix by? He rose the first-he looms the morning-star Of the long, glorious, unsuccessful war. England abhors him ! Has she not abhorr'd All who for Ireland ventured life or word? What memory wou'd she not have cast away That Ireland hugs in her heart's heart to-day? He rose in wrath to free his fetter'd land. ' There's blood-there's Saxon blood-upon his hand.' Ay, so they say ! Three thousand, less or more. He sent untimely to the Stygian shore. They were the keepers of the prison-gate He slew them his whole race to liberate O clear-eyed poets ! ye who can descry Through vulgar heaps of dead where heroes lie Ye, to whose glance the primal mist is clear - Behold, there lies a trampled noble here ! Shall we not leave a mark? shall we not do Justice to one so hated and so true? If ev'n his hand and hilt were so distain'd If he was guilty, as he has been blamed- His death redeem'd his life. He chose to die Rather than get his freedom with a lie. Plant o'er his gallant heart a laurel-tree. So may his head within the shadow be. I mourn for thee, O hero of the North God judge thee gentler than we do on earth I I mourn for thee, and for our land, because She dare not own thee martyr in our cause; But they, our poets, they who justify They will not let thy memory rot or die ! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LIFE [AND THE FLOWERS] by GEORGE HERBERT EVENING IN ENGLAND by FRANCIS LEDWIDGE TO MY MOTHER SLEEPING by MARY RUSSELL MITFORD PENETRALIA by ELFRIDA DE RENNE BARROW THE TABLE D'HOTE by JOHN PAUL BOCOCK MY ANGEL by JONATHAN HENDERSON BROOKS |
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