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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 2. FINLAY, by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM Poet's Biography
First Line: Finlay, next landlord (I'll abridge the tale),
Last Line: A hard but honest man', as people say.
Alternate Author Name(s): Pollex, D.; Walker, Patricius
Subject(s): Distrust; Landlords & Tenants; Portraits; Property; Possessions
First Line: Finlay, next landlord (I'll abridge the tale),
Last Line: A hard but honest man', as people say.
Alternate Author Name(s): Pollex, D.; Walker, Patricius
Subject(s): Distrust; Landlords & Tenants; Portraits; Property; Possessions
Finlay, next Landlord (I'll abridge the tale),
Prince of Glenawn, a low and fertile vale,
No fool by birth, but hard, and praised for wise
The more he learn'd all softness to despise,
Married a shrew for money, louts begot,
Debased his wishes to a vulgar lot,
To pence and pounds coin'd all his mother-wit,
And ossified his nature bit by bit.
A dull, cold home, devoid of every grace,
Distrust and dread in each dependent's face,
Bullocks and turnips, mighty stacks of grain.
Plethoric purse, impoverish'd heart and brain—
Such Finlay's life; and when that life shall end,
He'll die as no man's debtor, no man's friend.
Who duns?—who loves him?—he can pay his way;
'A hard but honest man', as people say.
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