Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Ireland: Vol. V. 1876–79.
Fairest! Put on Awhile
By Thomas Moore (1779–1852)F
These pinions of light I bring thee,
And o’er thy own green isle
In fancy let me wing thee.
Never did Ariel’s plume
At golden sunset hover
O’er scenes so full of bloom
As I shall waft thee over.
And fearlessly meets the ardor
Of the warm Summer’s gaze,
With only tears to guard her.
Rocks through myrtle boughs
In grace majestic frowning,
Like some bold warrior’s brows
That Love hath just been crowning.
That never hath bird come nigh them,
But from his course through air
He hath been won down by them,—
Types, sweet maid, of thee,
Whose look, whose blush inviting,
Never did Love yet see
From heaven, without alighting.
And caves where the gem is sleeping,
Bright as the tears thy lid
Lets fall in lonely weeping.
Glens where Ocean comes,
To ’scape the wild wind’s rancor,
And harbors, worthiest homes
Where Freedom’s fleet can anchor.
So beautiful, shine before thee,
Pride for thy own dear land
Should haply be stealing o’er thee,
O, let grief come first,
O’er pride itself victorious,—
Thinking how man hath curst
What Heaven had made so glorious!