Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, KING AND HERMIT, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

KING AND HERMIT, by                    
First Line: "now, marvan, hermit of the grot"
Last Line: So I might live my life with thee
Subject(s): Hermits;nature


[Marvan, brother of King Guare of Connaught, in
the seventh century,
had renounced the life of a warrior prince for
that of a hermit. The King
endeavoured to persuade his brother to return
to his court, when the
following colloquy took place between them.]

GUARE

Now, Marvan, hermit of the grot,
Why sleepest thou not on quilted feathers?
Why on a pitch-pine floor instead
Still make thy bed, despite all weathers?

MARVAN

I have a shieling in the wood,
None save my God has knowledge of it,
An ash tree and a hazel nut
Its two sides shut, great oak-boughs roof it.

Two heath-clad posts beneath a buckle
Of honeysuckle its frame are propping,
The woods around its narrow bound
Swine fattening mast are richly dropping.

From out my shieling not too small,
Familiar all, fair paths invite me,
Now, blackbird, from my gable end,
Sweet sable friend, thy notes delight me!

With joy the stags of Oakridge leap
Into their clear and deep-banked river,
Far off, red Roiny glows with joy,
Muckraw, Moinmoy in sunshine quiver.

With mighty mane a green-barked yew
Upholds the blue; his fortress green
An oak uprears against the storms--
Tremendous forms, stupendous scene!

Mine apple-tree is full of fruit
From crown to root--a hostel's store--
My bonny nut-full hazel bush
Leans branching lush against my door.

A choice pure spring of cooling draught
Is mine; what prince has quaffed a rarer?
Around it cresses keen, O King,
Invite the famishing wayfarer.

Tame swine and wild and goat and deer
Assemble here upon its brink,
Yea! even the badger's brood draw near
And without fear lie down to drink.

A peaceful troop of creatures strange,
They hither range from wood and height,
To meet them slender foxes steal
At vesper peal, O my delight!

These visitants, as to a Court,
Frequent resort to seek me out,
Pure water, Brother Guare, are they,
The salmon grey, the speckled trout:

Red rowans, dusky sloes and mast--
O unsurpassed and God-sent dish,
Blackberries, whortleberries blue,
Red strawberries to my taste and with;

Sweet apples, honey of wild bees,
And, after them, of eggs a clutch,
Haws, berries of the juniper--
Who, King, could cast a slur on such?

A cup with mead of hazel-nut
Outside my hut, in summer shine,
Or ale, with herbs from wood and spring,
Are worth, O King, thy costliest wine.

Bright bluebells o'er my board I throw--
A lovely show my feast to spangle--
The rushes' radiance, oaklets gray,
Briar-tresses gay--sweet, goodly tangle.

When brilliant summer casts once more
Her cloak of colour o'er the fields,
Sweet-tasting marjoram, pignut, leek--
To all who seek--her verdure yields.

Her bright red-breasted little men
Their lovely music then outpour,
The thrush exults, the cuckoos all
Around her call and call once more.

The bees, earth's small musicians, hum,
No longer dumb, in gentle chorus,
Like echoes faint of that long plaint
The fleeing wild-fowl murmur o'er us.

The wren, an active songster now,
From off the hazel-bough pipes shrill,
Woodpeckers flock in multitudes
With beauteous hoods and beating bill.

With fair white birds, the crane and gull,
The fields are full, while cuckoos cry.
No mournful music! Heath poults dun
Through russet heather sunward fly.

The heifers now with loud delight,
Summer bright, salute thy reign;
Comfort smooth for toilsome loss
'Tis now to cross the fertile plain.

The warblings of the wind that sweep
From branchy wood to sapphire sky,
The river falls, the swan's far note--
Delicious music floating by!

Earth's bravest band, because unhired,
All day untired, makes cheer for me.
In Christ's own eyes of endless youth
Can this same truth be said of thee?

What though in Kingly pleasures now
Beyond all riches thou rejoice,
Content am I my Saviour good
Should on this wood have set my choice.

Without one hour of war or strife,
Through all my life at peace I fare.
Where better can I keep my tryst
With our Lord Christ, O brother Guare?

GUARE

My glorious Kingship, yea! and all
My sire's estates that fall to me,
My Marvan, I would gladly give,
So I might live my life with thee.





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