 | The poems and stories of Fitz-James O'Brien |  |
104
THE THREE GANNETS.
I.
On a wrinkled rock, in a distant sea,Three white gannets sat in the sun;
They shook the brine from their feathers so fine,
And lazily, one by one,
They sunnily slept—while the tempest crept.
II.
In a painted boat, on a distant sea,Three fowlers sailed merrily on,
And each took aim, as he came near the game,
And the gannets fell, one by one,
And fluttered and died—while the tempest sighed.
III.
Then a cloud came over the distant sea,A darkness came over the sun,
And a storm-wind smote on the painted boat,
And the fowlers sank, one by one,
Down, down with their craft—while the tempest laughed.
| The poems and stories of Fitz-James O'Brien | |