Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HARP, by CARROLL RYAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HARP, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: This harp was all my father gave
Last Line: "their strength could not restore."
Alternate Author Name(s): Ryan, William Thomas Carroll
Subject(s): Heroism; Ireland - History; Heroes; Heroines


This harp was all my father gave
To me, before he found a grave
Upon a stranger's land.
"My boy," he said, "the harp you hold
Was struck by many ministrels old,
By many heroes brave and bold,
With an unfaltering hand.

"Your sires, the chieftains of Odrone,
Familiar were with every tone
Of wassail, love and fray.
Some of its strings are wrought of gold,
And some of silver's purest mould,
And some of iron hard and cold,
And some are torn away.

"If virtue high you wish to sing
Then fearless strike the golden string,
By that it oft was stirr'd;
And if with love your bosom swell
The silver chord will answer well,
And strains of deeper fervor tell
Than ever maiden heard.

"But if of freedom's fight your song,
Then strike the iron loud and long,
Thus oft 'twas heard before.
The broken strings, once fair and bright,
Are like to those who fell in fight,
When battling for a country's right
Their strength could not restore."





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