 | The Poems of J. J. Callanan |  |
91
Sacred Subjects.
THE VIRGIN MARY'S BANK.
[_]
From the foot of Inchidony Island, an elevated tract of sand runs out into the sea, and terminates in a high green bank, which forms a pleasing contrast with the little desert behind it, and the black solitary rock immediately under. Tradition tells that the Virgin came one night to this hillock to pray, and was discovered kneeling there by the crew of a Vessel that was coming to anchor near the place. They laughed at her piety, and made some merry and unbecoming remarks on her beauty, upon which a storm arose and destroyed the ship and her crew. Since that time no vessel has been known to anchor near the spot.
Such is the story upon which the following Stanzas are founded.
The evening star rose beauteous above the fading day,
As to the lone and silent beach the Virgin came to pray,
And hill and wave shone brightly in the moonlight's mellow fall;
But the bank of green where Mary knelt was brightest of them all.
As to the lone and silent beach the Virgin came to pray,
And hill and wave shone brightly in the moonlight's mellow fall;
But the bank of green where Mary knelt was brightest of them all.
92
Slow moving o'er the waters, a gallant bark appeared,
And her joyous crew look'd from the deck as to the land she near'd;
To the calm and shelter'd haven she floated like a swan,
And her wings of snow o'er the waves below in pride and beauty shone.
And her joyous crew look'd from the deck as to the land she near'd;
To the calm and shelter'd haven she floated like a swan,
And her wings of snow o'er the waves below in pride and beauty shone.
The Master saw our Lady as he stood upon the prow,
And marked the whiteness of her robe and the radiance of her brow;
Her arms were folded gracefully upon her stainless breast,
And her eyes look'd up among the stars to Him her soul lov'd best.
And marked the whiteness of her robe and the radiance of her brow;
Her arms were folded gracefully upon her stainless breast,
And her eyes look'd up among the stars to Him her soul lov'd best.
He showed her to his sailors, and he hail'd her with a cheer;
And on the kneeling Virgin they gazed with laugh and jeer;
And madly swore, a form so fair they never saw before;
And they curs'd the faint and lagging breeze that kept them from the shore.
And on the kneeling Virgin they gazed with laugh and jeer;
And madly swore, a form so fair they never saw before;
And they curs'd the faint and lagging breeze that kept them from the shore.
The ocean from its bosom shook off the moonlight sheen,
And up its wrathful billows rose to vindicate their Queen;
And a cloud came o'er the heavens, and a darkness o'er the land,
And the scoffing crew beheld no more that Lady on the strand.
And up its wrathful billows rose to vindicate their Queen;
And a cloud came o'er the heavens, and a darkness o'er the land,
And the scoffing crew beheld no more that Lady on the strand.
93
Out burst the pealing thunder, and the light'ning leap'd about,
And rushing with his watery war, the tempest gave a shout,
And that vessel from a mountain wave came down with thund'ring shock,
And her timbers flew like scatter'd spray on Inchidony's rock.
And rushing with his watery war, the tempest gave a shout,
And that vessel from a mountain wave came down with thund'ring shock,
And her timbers flew like scatter'd spray on Inchidony's rock.
Then loud from all that guilty crew one shriek rose wild and high.
But the angry surge swept over them and hush'd their gurgling cry;
And with a hoarse exulting tone the tempest pass'd away,
And down, still chafing from their strife, the indignant waters lay.
But the angry surge swept over them and hush'd their gurgling cry;
And with a hoarse exulting tone the tempest pass'd away,
And down, still chafing from their strife, the indignant waters lay.
When the calm and purple morning shone out on high Dunmore,
Full many a mangled corpse was seen on Inchidony's shore;
And to this day the fisherman shows where the scoffers sank,
And still he calls that hillock green, “the Virgin Mary's bank.”
Full many a mangled corpse was seen on Inchidony's shore;
And to this day the fisherman shows where the scoffers sank,
And still he calls that hillock green, “the Virgin Mary's bank.”
94
VERSE OMITTED FROM “THE VIRGIN MARY'S BANK.”
And from his brow she wiped the blood and wrung his dripping hair,And o'er the breathless sailor boy she bent herself in prayer,
And life came rushing to his cheek and his bosom heaved a sigh,
And up the lifeless sailor rose in the mercy of her eye.
MARY MAGDALEN.
To the hall of that feast came the sinful and fair;
She heard in the city that Jesus was there,
She mark'd not the splendour that blaz'd on their board,
But silently knelt at the feet of the Lord.
She heard in the city that Jesus was there,
She mark'd not the splendour that blaz'd on their board,
But silently knelt at the feet of the Lord.
The hair from her forehead so sad and so meek,
Hung dark o'er the blushes that burn'd on her cheek,
And so still and so lowly she bent in her shame,
It seem'd as her spirit had flown from its frame.
Hung dark o'er the blushes that burn'd on her cheek,
And so still and so lowly she bent in her shame,
It seem'd as her spirit had flown from its frame.
The frown and the murmur went round thro' them all,
That one so unhallow'd should tread in that hall,
And some said the poor would be objects more meet,
For the wealth of the perfumes she shower'd on his feet.
That one so unhallow'd should tread in that hall,
And some said the poor would be objects more meet,
For the wealth of the perfumes she shower'd on his feet.
95
She marked but her Saviour, she spoke but in sighs,
She dar'd not look up to the heaven of his eyes,
And the hot tears gush'd forth at each heave of her breast,
As her lips to his sandal were throbbingly prest.
She dar'd not look up to the heaven of his eyes,
And the hot tears gush'd forth at each heave of her breast,
As her lips to his sandal were throbbingly prest.
On the cloud after tempests, as shineth the bow;
In the glance of the sun-beam, as melteth the snow,
He look'd on that lost one—her sins were forgiven,
And Mary went forth in the beauty of Heaven.
In the glance of the sun-beam, as melteth the snow,
He look'd on that lost one—her sins were forgiven,
And Mary went forth in the beauty of Heaven.
SAUL,
HOLDING THE GARMENTS OF THE MURDERERS OF STEPHEN.
The soldier of Christ to the stake was bound,
And the foes of the Lord beset him round;
But his forehead beamed with unearthly light,
As he looked with joy to his last high fight.
And the foes of the Lord beset him round;
But his forehead beamed with unearthly light,
As he looked with joy to his last high fight.
Beyond that circle of death was one
Whose hand was unarmed with glaive or stone;
But the garments he held, as apart he stood,
Of the men who were bared for the work of blood.
Whose hand was unarmed with glaive or stone;
But the garments he held, as apart he stood,
Of the men who were bared for the work of blood.
96
His form not tall but his bearing high,
And courage sat in his dark deep eye;
His cheek was young, and he seemed to stand,
Like one who was destined for high command.
And courage sat in his dark deep eye;
His cheek was young, and he seemed to stand,
Like one who was destined for high command.
But the hate of his spirit you well might learn,
From his pale high brow so bent and stern,
And the glance that at times shot angry light,
Like a flash from the depth of a stormy night.
From his pale high brow so bent and stern,
And the glance that at times shot angry light,
Like a flash from the depth of a stormy night.
'Twas Saul of Tarsus!—a fearful name,
And wed in the land with sword and flame;
And the faithful of Israel trembled all,
At the deeds that were wrought by the furious Saul.
And wed in the land with sword and flame;
And the faithful of Israel trembled all,
At the deeds that were wrought by the furious Saul.
'Tis done!—the martyr hath slept at last,
And his victor soul to the Lord hath past,
And the murderers' hearts waxed sore with guilt,
As they gazed on the innocent blood they spilt.
And his victor soul to the Lord hath past,
And the murderers' hearts waxed sore with guilt,
As they gazed on the innocent blood they spilt.
But Saul went on in his fiery zeal;
The thirst of his fury no blood could quell;
And he went to Damascus with words of doom
To bury the faithful in dungeon-gloom.
The thirst of his fury no blood could quell;
And he went to Damascus with words of doom
To bury the faithful in dungeon-gloom.
When lo!—as a rock by the lightning riven,
His heart was smote by a voice from Heaven;
And the hater of Jesus loved nought beside,
And died for the name of the crucified.
His heart was smote by a voice from Heaven;
And the hater of Jesus loved nought beside,
And died for the name of the crucified.
97
THE MOTHER OF THE MACABEES
That mother viewed the scene of blood—
Her six unconquered sons were gone—
Tearless she viewed,—beside her stood
Her last,—her youngest,—dearest one;
He looked upon her and he smiled—
Oh! will she save that only child?
Her six unconquered sons were gone—
Tearless she viewed,—beside her stood
Her last,—her youngest,—dearest one;
He looked upon her and he smiled—
Oh! will she save that only child?
“By all my love,—my son,” she said,
“The breast that nursed,—the womb that bore,—
Th' unsleeping care that watched thee,—fed,—
'Till manhood's years required no more;
By all I've wept and prayed for thee,
Now, now, be firm and pity me.
“The breast that nursed,—the womb that bore,—
Th' unsleeping care that watched thee,—fed,—
'Till manhood's years required no more;
By all I've wept and prayed for thee,
Now, now, be firm and pity me.
“Look, I beseech thee, on yon heaven,
With its high field of azure light,
Look on this earth, to mankind given,
Array'd in beauty and in might,
And think,—nor scorn thy mother's pray'r,
On him who said it and they were!
With its high field of azure light,
Look on this earth, to mankind given,
Array'd in beauty and in might,
And think,—nor scorn thy mother's pray'r,
On him who said it and they were!
98
“So shall thou not this tyrant fear,
Nor recreant shun the glorious strife;
Behold!—thy battle field is near,
Then go my son, nor heed thy life;
Go!—like thy faithful brothers die,
That I may meet you all on high.”
Nor recreant shun the glorious strife;
Behold!—thy battle field is near,
Then go my son, nor heed thy life;
Go!—like thy faithful brothers die,
That I may meet you all on high.”
Like arrow from the bended bow,
He sprang upon the bloody pile—
Like sunrise on the morning's snow,
Was that heroic mother's smile;
He died!—nor feared the tyrant's nod,—
For Judah's law,—and Judah's God.
He sprang upon the bloody pile—
Like sunrise on the morning's snow,
Was that heroic mother's smile;
He died!—nor feared the tyrant's nod,—
For Judah's law,—and Judah's God.
MOONLIGHT.
'Tis sweet at hush of night
By the calm moon to wander,
And view those isles of light
That float so far beyond her
In that wide sea
Whose waters free
Can find no shore to bound them,
On whose calm breast
Pure spirits rest
With all their glory round them;
Oh! that my soul all free
From bonds of earth, might sever;
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
By the calm moon to wander,
And view those isles of light
That float so far beyond her
In that wide sea
Whose waters free
99
On whose calm breast
Pure spirits rest
With all their glory round them;
Oh! that my soul all free
From bonds of earth, might sever;
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
When all those glorious spheres
The watch of Heaven are keeping,
And dews, like angel's tears,
Around are gently weeping;
O who is he
That carelessly
On virtue's bound encroaches,
But then will feel
Upon him steal
Their silent sweet reproaches?
Oh! that my soul all free,
From bonds of earth, might sever;
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
The watch of Heaven are keeping,
And dews, like angel's tears,
Around are gently weeping;
O who is he
That carelessly
On virtue's bound encroaches,
But then will feel
Upon him steal
Their silent sweet reproaches?
Oh! that my soul all free,
From bonds of earth, might sever;
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
And when in secret sighs
The lonely heart is pining
If we but view those skies
With all their bright host shining,
While sad we gaze
On their mild rays,
They seem like seraphs smiling,
To joys above,
With looks of love,
The weary spirit wiling;
Oh! that my soul all free,
From bonds of earth, could sever
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
The lonely heart is pining
If we but view those skies
With all their bright host shining,
100
On their mild rays,
They seem like seraphs smiling,
To joys above,
With looks of love,
The weary spirit wiling;
Oh! that my soul all free,
From bonds of earth, could sever
Oh! that those isles might be
Her resting place for ever.
| The Poems of J. J. Callanan | |