Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND, by JANET HAMILTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Queen of hundred ocean isles
Last Line: Ah! Never—never—never.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hamilton, Janet Thompson
Subject(s): Scotland


QUEEN of hundred ocean Isles,
Rich in scenic grandeurs;
Land of forest, hill, and glen,
Where the tourist wanders.
Land of torrent, lake, and stream,
Wild sea-cliff and corrie;
Land of mist and legend old,
Music, song, and story.

Land that erst by thousands poured
From hovel, hut, and shieling,
Loyal men, and brimmed their hearts
With high, heroic feeling.
Where, oh where thy thousands now?
Echo, wildly wailing,
Gives mournful answer, Where, oh where
Are our life's springs failing?

No; the red deer yet are rife
In dingle, copse, and forest,
But the human form hath fail'd
"When our needs are sorest."
Titled Nimrod's keepers, rude,
With their canine allies,
Hold usurp'd dominion now
O'er thy hills and valleys.

Grouse and heath-fowl o'er thy moors
See by thousands winging;
Thousand sportsmen trace their flight—
Thousand shots are ringing.
But the hunted Celt had fled
Heath and burning hovel,
For lands where man meets equal man,
Not as serf to grovel.

High Dunrobin's stately dame,
While thy train was sweeping
Through Victoria's royal halls,
Heard'st thou not the weeping
Of thy vassals in the wild—
The young, the old, the hoary,
The babe, the mother, stalwart forms
In manhood's pride and glory?

Famine, and the ruthless arm
Of legal power, impelling,
Drove them forth, while o'er their homes
Red waves of flame were swelling;
And mournful from the parting shore,
A voice comes sounding ever,
We leave thee to return no more,
Ah! never—never—never.





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