Poems By Edward Quillinan. With a Memoir by William Johnston |
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THE OLD MAN AND HIS DAUGHTERS. |
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153
THE OLD MAN AND HIS DAUGHTERS.
There came an Elder from the north,
A shrewd and crabbèd carl was he,
And muttering threats, he hurried forth
To seek his truant daughters three.
A shrewd and crabbèd carl was he,
And muttering threats, he hurried forth
To seek his truant daughters three.
Three daughters as the Graces fair,
Whom he would never trust from home,
But who in spite of all his care
Will each in turn contrive to roam.
Whom he would never trust from home,
But who in spite of all his care
Will each in turn contrive to roam.
The earliest out of bounds was Spring,
A nymph with violet-colour'd eyes:
Her head with snowdrops covering,
She stole away in that disguise.
A nymph with violet-colour'd eyes:
Her head with snowdrops covering,
She stole away in that disguise.
And meeting in her doubtful flight
The Sun, she paused, and blush'd, and said,
“If thou art brave as thou art bright,
My sisters free from prison dread!”
The Sun, she paused, and blush'd, and said,
“If thou art brave as thou art bright,
My sisters free from prison dread!”
154
A smile he gave her in reply,
Too fervent for her bloom so frail;
It shamed the violet in her eye,
And turn'd her hectic cheek to pale.
Too fervent for her bloom so frail;
It shamed the violet in her eye,
And turn'd her hectic cheek to pale.
But heedful of the maiden's word,
He went and thaw'd the gelid door;
Whence out rush'd Summer like a bird,
And lightly bounded on before.
He went and thaw'd the gelid door;
Whence out rush'd Summer like a bird,
And lightly bounded on before.
Then linger'd, and at Spring look'd back,
Spring laugh'd to see her panting there,
Then vanish'd by a woodland track,
Abash'd at Phœbus' saucy stare.
Spring laugh'd to see her panting there,
Then vanish'd by a woodland track,
Abash'd at Phœbus' saucy stare.
But Summer eyed him like a queen
Accustom'd to resplendent rays,
While blushes through her brown cheek seen
Were ripening in his ardent gaze.
Accustom'd to resplendent rays,
While blushes through her brown cheek seen
Were ripening in his ardent gaze.
But where was Autumn? While their sire
Was tracking Spring across the snow,
She thought upon her father's ire,
And hardly dared, yet long'd, to go.
Was tracking Spring across the snow,
She thought upon her father's ire,
And hardly dared, yet long'd, to go.
155
At last she rose and ventured out,
And slily took the other way;
But Winter now had turn'd about,
And saw the traitress go astray.
And slily took the other way;
But Winter now had turn'd about,
And saw the traitress go astray.
He follow'd her with crouching gait,
Who, all unconscious, slack'd her pace,
And meeting Summer, down they sate,
And Summer slept in her embrace.
Who, all unconscious, slack'd her pace,
And meeting Summer, down they sate,
And Summer slept in her embrace.
But on her shoulder soon she felt
Their father's rigid fingers cold:
He bound them both with frozen belt,
And dragg'd them to his icy hold.
Their father's rigid fingers cold:
He bound them both with frozen belt,
And dragg'd them to his icy hold.
And hither too had Spring retraced
Her way, for, wandering to and fro,
Bewilder'd on a border waste,
She knew not whither else to go.
Her way, for, wandering to and fro,
Bewilder'd on a border waste,
She knew not whither else to go.
But though he has them all again
In durance numb—the hard old man!
Be sure, in spite of bolt and chain,
Apollo their release will plan.
In durance numb—the hard old man!
Be sure, in spite of bolt and chain,
Apollo their release will plan.
Canterbury, August, 1838.
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