Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SHANE O'NEILL, by SEUMAS MACMANUS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SHANE O'NEILL, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: In thy wild and windy upland, tornamona
Last Line: Rise, in god's name, shane o'neill!


IN thy wild and windy upland, Tornamona,
High above the tossing Moyle,
Lies in slumber, deep and dreamless now, a warrior
Weary worn with battle-toil.
On his mighty breast the little canna blossoms,
And the scented bog-bines trail;
While the winds from Lurigaiden whisper hush-songs
Round the bed of Shane O'Neill.

Time was once, O haughty warrior! when you slept not
To the crooning of the wind;
There was once a Shane whom daisies could not smother,
And whom bog-weeds could not bind --
Once a Shane with death-shafts from his fierce eyes flashing,
With dismay in fist of mail --
Shane, whose throbbing pulses sang with singing lightning --
Shane, our Shane, proud Shane O'Neill!

Him the hungry Scot knew, and the thieving Saxon,
Traitorous Eireannach as well;
For their mailed throats often gurgled in his grasping,
As he hurled their souls to hell.
Sassenach, now, and flouting Scot, and Irish traitor,
Breathe his name and turn not pale,
Set their heel upon the warrior's breast, nor tremble --
God! the breast of Shane O'Neill!
Will you never, O our Chieftain, snap the sleep-cords?
Never rise in thunderous wrath --
Through the knaves and slaves that bring a blight on Uladh,
Sweeping far a dread red swath?
O'er the surges shout, O you on Tornamona,
Hark, the soul-shout of the Gael!
Rise, O Chief, and lead us from our bitter bondage --
Rise, in God's name, Shane O'Neill!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net