Ireland, O Ireland! centre of my longings, Country of my fathers, home of my heart! Overseas you call me; Why an exile from me? Wherefore sea-severed, long leagues apart? As the thining salmon, homeless in the sea depths, Hears the river call him, scents out the land, Leaps and rejoices in the meeting of the waters, Breasts weir and torrent, nests in the sand. Lives there and loves; yet with the year's returning, Rusting in the river, pines for the sea, Sweeps back again to the ripple of the tideway, Roamer of the waters, vagabond and free. Wanderer am I like the salmon of thy rivers; London is my ocean, murmurous and deep, Tossing and vast; yet through the roar of London Comes to me thy summons, calls me in sleep. Pearly are the skies in the country of my fathers, Purple are thy mountains, home of my heart. Mother of my yearning, love of all my longings, Keep me in remembrance, long leagues apart. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FINIS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON ON A CERTAIN CRITIC by AMY LOWELL SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: EPILOGUE by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: REV. LEMUEL WILEY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS ANOTHER DARK LADY by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON |