Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, OURSELVES ALONE, by JOHN O'HAGAN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

OURSELVES ALONE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The work that should today be wrought
Last Line: Redeemed -- erect -- alone!
Subject(s): Nationalism - Ireland


THE work that should to-day be wrought,
Defer not till to-morrow;
The help that should within be sought,
Scorn from without to borrow.
Old maxims these -- yet stout and true --
They speak in trumpet tone,
To do at once what is to do,
And trust Ourselves Alone.

Too long our Irish hearts we schooled
In patient hope to bide,
By dreams of English justice fooled
And English tongues that lied.
That hour of weak delusion's past --
The empty dream has flown:
Our hope and strength, we find at last,
Is in Ourselves Alone.

Aye! bitter hate, or cold neglect,
Or lukewarm love, at best,
Is all we've found, or can expect,
We Aliens of the West.
No friend, beyond our own green shore,
Can Erin truly own;
Yet stronger is her trust, therefore,
In her brave sons Alone.

Remember, when our lot was worse --
Sunk, trampled to the dust --
'Twas long our weakness and our curse
In stranger aid to trust.
And if, at length, we proudly trod
On bigot laws o'erthrown,
Who won that struggle? Under God,
Ourselves -- Ourselves Alone.

Oh! let its memory be enshrined
In Ireland's heart for ever!
It proves a banded people's mind
Must win in just endeavour;
It shows how wicked to despair,
How weak to idly groan --
If ills at others' hands ye bear,
The cure is in Your Own.

The foolish word 'impossible'
At once, for aye, disdain;
No power can bar a people's will,
A people's right to gain.
Be bold, united, firmly set,
Nor flinch in word or tone --
We'll be a glorious nation yet,
Redeemed -- Erect -- Alone!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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