IRISH VERSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 9

IRISH VERSE.

?!.-'; Irish',: '■' : .;"'; : . ;morß:;pr';jlessiio "' ••!-'/K its Vbf '>'expressibn7'X; : Mere* mastery ■■ ; j-V:; *!;- ofr. a::language{ds;;hbkv alone ; ; s'tiffiCibnt'. : f or : ;. ■>; ••.■■":■-''thojj'gH^'s-".Bi^itiai^<iiS6^baßa^&l.ras■ :".;: ■ v\<!dw'.fb,r3iimt^.tfievJi'dmo';an"d:':fac'es'^'6f ; back . --~; ;-y_ 4oftoiil^ißilojft';an'd^oj. ; nMljToveriei''bnt' ■:; .-y;ratiTratedAm^ -'•:;. ;,wcanvreturn.'b!'Yb'icb^and''meaning;'to, his;'! ; !/'.; fainter' arid-'mpfe Yemote,; the .voice ,'bf, his .". : ■■ .-rowii'peoplp a'nd-'df. liumirnbercil-'poets.be-. i .;,s: , ;'> 'fore .hiin.v Eve^. ; dialect,'lias':for.tho' : 'ear ;';'; >;-.: accustomed to..itfrom .birth .an.yitimate .','/;;. j-Tenotantment'wHica'is of'necessity 'beyond ~-■■'-.- -■;: ■•• .-■; The: poems' ofN:Banies,■■•'for' ;/■'-.-; ;: v,;instance, •in-litcrarjvEiigligHil'ose'alinost: '■'- ■'.'as^much'Vof."their' "iriwardne'ss":'-*as:' a ■•; ! .:'.'• - : * vplpughbdy .'in' his iSundayftbcst: .And'it ■; ';..: ;: ;-;-;]B;the.diffi^ ■.'iV^/;'>;Vpoe(i/aftcr--allvth^/ycars;'6i' : the::Tisd"and : ( ;\4 ■~;■':ywMr:i.aniV-:tear?bf':liis.'laii^agei- s tb'-'cap'' '■?.:v < v:;f<tare''v , n r bat• : Jiei'cari t -bi'':-its riches of- alia-: '^ji'v-viVHonfaj^ .•■■"■..:':^for?himself.'bis-own-idiom,.his'.bwri'.in-' . ys.':.'-'.-..''dividual.;dialect;■''■for': the' complete ex:,i "',i:; : ."pression/bf..his this ;; : *"V^ ':;fe\' : !:;...;.that' : sufficed;fdr the;.hum'our nhdpassion :'';;:'Vr'l--fof. I .a' _Shaliespearer.yetVsans;"sp:;iriimita'lJly; >ri ; r' : .';:".the .tinyr'.songs bi' ; Herrick, -can:even.now '*y<-' ;;'• .'bevwrought.into the-intricate simplicity' S',;.'- J: •> :• ■of the; verse of ;Mr.;: Doughty,. and ..may to-! [.;'.'•- -'•'- morrow fret and.yamazc the. critics .with r■: ..;.,.;,. .1 a■. new-j'Toems;• and fßallads."':;, Its ■,ids-' :' , ;.. , «■'; P'.'fi i'.v .Scottish -ballads .are' as.rlittle alien ' tbiit, l;v.: r.^v as/'tb*; r- v. EadyaTd ; iKipling;;:3pnly ;Irelarid!rhas; al') ;.;•:-> x.-ways' .s!aod,.: arid; sever; ' ;■■' :. ;;.;.(■'; stands^aloof. ;,And ithptigh 'this'' estrange- • • ':.:■■:.'::•. '-'merit -may r be?.inv.ipart ; ;explained. by 'the i'^;.;'£ : - fact t ithat,,to/thesftneere. : lrish'?P6ets;" as ■:' ■■■ ;V ./!< :;the ; Order,;' '< 'England; '■'-K'■■';'.£ : ";hM;'always lr s'eemed:-''the ; tyrant' fbe,''"a. .'-.£'; ■: ; ;Vs«>urge,'':;'' < fliiit-hearted," "dark-livered,'.', ;,..;< '-..vv; .''a",red; wiridi"-:it-is also '.due,-, if; the sim-; \v >;; y -tie:V,f ascinatihg'English v. of ; ; Dr;: "Hyde's ■ ;'.'. :•':-;:-; translations', from .the. Gaelic''be 'a guide,' ;--"/-V■";■'• U.t" the oven more..essential:'fact-that: Irish-! 5 ':;;^-;/"Bentiment.;;;and^ ; the; ! :'lrish : :;VimaphationS '';"•".■■■:.■■< ■ really-lose.even'.now;;sbraething...of their; ;•>;; ■'■.; -to. an'lfishman when, in an .EngV &.!:■; the.: harto being r,.'''.' :^'.::: ''lrish,'" "to'invert Spenser's-phrase,'."the : :::';Bp^che~mnst''.needes-i'be.lrish! for.', out'. i-'.Vf-vrf--:-.,'0l -: .the' abiiridaun'oe : of "the .harto, the' \ ;tohg'e'. speaketh."- ■■:'.'■■:■ £:* ::K. ~:V. .;.'V i;;!-?:-^';'.T?*It.^ i i : >.-^""-':iOtheUeaft'hmt;of ; Irish ; ih,Van\EngIistt;'sorig. f'... : , , -;:shbuld still '.seem.;, so '.strange;.; The-littlo' ;;•.'.'"■;•'■',? Bnatches. of Irish'; that; are ::sb nften.'the :f • ''..;■; refrains of Irish pbelis fall-', with 'as; forHy" : 'S-' : i'eiß^»'a:;.'rttg-' : on.;';'the;' English -ear 'as: any : ;^-:''..:\;;\iTTOeh\i'p^ras6.^.woWd ; Jall';X"thoußn;:-.ijro'-.j:-;, 'iv.may'.add,.''theyi'.are infinitely.-.more'.''-w'el-.*v;'|.;.,;^''c6me^v.',Mavdurheen,"-we.lcnow,'''.perliaps,' J;;:;::i.: : ;.:',.almost'top well,-.but npt.'."niavrono." Even; I .- '.'y- the ■ "slainteV: : of llr. Graves's universal < .S-.fV.. "Father 'O'Flynn": is not: current coin;. '■'■ 'Cifif^'while" "MoV Bhuachailin Ban," - 'TMo chra-[::-i:. V;'S oibhih;' Cno," arid: "Mo cailin ! ruadh,"- air ::'.>'..;.::':..integral parts at poems ''.in' :English,',"are ]:''.;;-: ; .' as: far out, of! our. reach as the grapes of V;V'.: , .-.-rh I h6'?fos;-;.' - ,: : ; :r\ persuasive, almost goblin touch '..'; that'is unmistakably Irish in it- \".;■.' .;'' fect.-and:irresistibly, wiiining, in the work ■■/, ■..'■'. of,"lrish poets, ,it is .generally, almost too ~,..', ..'•-conspicuous to .he else than something in .'.;..; the'-nature. of .an' imperfection in really ■;: , -;;'-',consummate..English .verse.' : Yet, if : . tho '-:. .:'.;. truth':must.:be. .told,' how. riiany.'afpoet. ■>-.';.v.':would willingly sacrifico a page of! two'of •'!•;,:'!: his rconsiimmato;'yerse,-if. he .might but '/v'-'rK'i-catbh'the'chara;of.such a 1 lullaby as this, !V" :' byJMrf'Jaines/B.;Cousins!:—;: !;: ; ''! ; '■'■■■ Sh'oliecn, ,sho-lb; \-;'.- ' : :'!':;!-; .!';•;." ; .' ";': Hark,;-; the .'Bell-branch' ? ringing. ?.:•■.; :''.v:Sheheen/ sho-lo:.;;■•!;•:-' : J: ; ,-V..";:";- : - ;■;., ..; ;■; Danaans:;frpm the;hills are 'singing.' ,' : '■:':';:.-;. , : ''Timb';is;old, arid;.eai'th is'.grbj;—: , iC .-..;:: : ': Cbme,,.ye weary..-ones, , awayl->. ■■"'. '.: ; . :. i .-' -.. Where, '■. with white,^untroubled;brows, '■ ■•;_.. ■. The Ira'mbrtals'dream and 'drowse,.;' >:- •'.. -■'.■; ":.-';;-'■'';;'Ahd ; -'thojsWaUs;pf-iqniet.'flow.'':.V';''' : ',-' ■';• :'lt.;is ; npt;th'a,t, these ;:thirigs'.'are, strange ■/, : -.."sito.us -.in;the' sense.'of being rarely;seen .':;..:" ;'';- and heard; \'. Tliat, happily, it 'is . much .' ',;..;--;too : .lato to affirm;" : lt. is ..that; they are '■',: -:•;.' •!':.ahopo and a' challenge—and worse yet,; a '■;. ,- .-: /shibboleth', to- distinguish': '- friend'- ■■ from '!. -:'' :'-. -.,', stranger... For the confessed.ultimate aim' '>•■;:;.-.'': of theipresent movement'in Ire- ;-. v'.; .; land;is! to-throw,offrtho bondage of what ,/'.;;>'■ fi;spite of such, masterly;usage is still :! V: ; ; deemed: an alien. tongue,- and. its literary- ';••■,'-.'.'. -•■' conventions, and;;tb. write 'a. poetry - that: / ;:,;e; «hall ; :conie : -tb: theVlrish people 'with all ''. 'l--the. gTace;-notes, allthe'liistoriedbeauty.. ■:,: ' ; .'of the' ancient language 'of;their "counti-y. '': !>:.,'ftnd their,;, blood., .Pitting one': insularity ~!■;;.:.: gainst another';.wo.may ; dispute the-:wis- /-':.;■;; i 'dorivinay;„4uestion'the chances; and may •''.--■: ; deplore -thO'TOS3ible':outcoih'e of such an. V.-. ; ;: : i : .,'emleavour. .But Englisli poetry is, at any-' .: : ;:L : :':'Tateifich' : enough,.-aad:has'sufficient life, ;;: ;':'-arid .Sand .spirit;, to ;view:.with- /;.;;'..-;.; out reproach' orryairi- regret a ■ disaffection / ! ~.;; ;'eo' : whole-hearted 'and,.- intelligible.'. ■'<■:'.■ ',:"■;;>' ,K; :-Not the most flint-hearted:stranger could /.:.:..;.; < :T^st' ; ';-Mangari's,i;,<cataract;;'of .;:sonorous •";;" ';,;;music,. : witb'.its ;cxultaht'.despair,, and its ;'" , s : 'dark; purity bbfi.colouririg.'.Andvonly a' .'•■;-;.-retra'nger :who was also; .perhaps,' an Irish-

man, could refuse,his heart to the unforgettnbk.i'.'GroTCs. of/Blarney"— ■'-■:'-); : And:'ii-iiady : d. : ., .■'-,!•'■•■' ';;;,..: Would,bo so engaging. :■;... ;!/-:"As to. wnlkalono, in ;! . ;'. ;!:':- -i Those'' shady:bowers,, ■; ■:■'.'-. ;:; : .-'.■■■ji'Tis.'thcro the courtier, .'.... !,.; .V: ,':.Hb:may transport her ';' ■' ...Into some fort, or -'.■':'.; ; ; : ;;; ; Ali .'under'ground.;'.'.',.- .-■ ■; • \, .'iTherc's statues.gracing '■'■". .• ..'.''This noblo place, in— ij'-..;.': ■:. All .heathen; gods' '' ■;;;.." '"''And nymphs so fair j .. ~ ■ :' c . :,Bold -Neptune,: Plutarch, .. ,'','. ',-And!Nicodomus,: --"■ ; , '-■ . ■'..'.All'standing naked ; -/- : "■;,--. v. In-the ..open air! !!-'!.-■

Poets these men w^re,.and .Callanan, and Darley,- 1 and Ferguson—for such;.blissful nonsense.:as "The .Groves of Blarney" is a',far clearer revelation of poetic, power than any quantity of violent dactylic rhetoric. ■: But'; their' achievement was. fitful. They'had 'no '.thought; of the patience and .pains, which- scholars'like. Dr. Hyde and'Dr-.'Sigersonhavo iinweariedly.given to ,tho recovery and revival of tho; -old Irish folk-songs; nor very/'much .either of the conscious and. laborious: art which is:not the least cohspicnou's feature of thG-i"naturalness" ; and "naivete of _ Irish poetry since, as Mr. Teats wrote, in' his' essay, "Poetry and Tradition," , "Lionel Johnson and Katherine Tynan (as she then was),;: and I, myself, began to ; reform [itj." .•;'; v..' i With so many poems before lis ("Tho Dublin Book; of Irish Verse"), the direct outcome of these. 1 later aims and ideals, it is .still : tempting to, perplex ourselves with!: trying- to discover \yhat','. precise quality it is that ■: distinguishes" Irish poetry. Enticed on ih.this.volumo from;, one poim to another, the reader cannot but.;becbmo at length aware of. a certain atmosphere, ;a; certain stillness': stealing over'!': Ms: mind, so: continuous ;that s though these: tho work of''many'poets. they 1 ;seem allrto/havp-passedlurider-.the scrutiny 'of one- master. In'every Eng-. lish'.-..anthology the most . manifest. feature is ..its range, : ; its ■ .vario'usness, .its, chequered .'originality. The whole man.is there. ■ -Donhe; Campion, : Milton ; Herrick,Crashaw," Keats,- Coleridge, "-Shelley; each reveals';in his"poetry -and nearly! independent „ personality, .as dissimilar and .diverse as it is'.possible for human personality-to be.---They-Were free, as their heirs are to-day, to put touse -all'-life's' experience;; to divine and_manifest" their, peculiar gifts, and to discover, tho? best ..means of; giving:, them expression. Poetry, their, language,. alone. was common to'all. ..The Irish, poets of.! this last .generation—though each of Jcourso cbm'pelled.'.to'.. ho :himself ' in'•, order to'. be; a; poet : at .all—'turn for .tho most- part /'tor a : .uioro,;restric.ted!reality, a; definite province . of: the : imagination.!, To ; enter the garden: of. Aladdin; a certain: ; self-surr en-. der is necessary, as.well,perhaps, as.possession: of.,the;Murrairi Stone.: And there. arc,' ! it.would.seeni,;many rich and.precious: faculties of .'the mind'that mayobscure and,'banish; these-still transient visions ; that rise unevoked into consciousness'when: thought is suhk'into,a Teverie, bordering' on dream.,:. It is the' manifesta-; tion'in-.words of this visionary world that is the haunting delightand despair'of the seer. It :wbuld'not, .'perhaps, -bo very wido.bf'the mark'to describe this power ■as,-a:kind,,'of ; .clairvoyancej sinco.it is the knowledge'and; experience of: a 'rarer,-a less Aplastic,':a' more ■ compelling, reality than the reality'which.is'more generally intended! by the. term imagination; nor in "its""c'ffect "is : it quito .the' same thing 'as "natural'magic.";.:,.lt casts its glamour ! over numberless .poems, in. this. volume,; i and : is'sbmethihg. of a'distinctive niark' of: the Irish mind:' Not that it has ever .been a rare I 'thing in-English!■',poetry;.-for ; it is! certainly almost ;a?CDnstan,t';'accompaniment of great power's;'of'imagination;. But it- has been: but rarely'sbiight'.after 'or waited- upon ■ by-English':! poets'.'. ■;: Its influence comes and goes,- glancing through, and 'transfiguring ''their' work,../casting', upon its less;'insubstantial.,beauty alight wo'hardly,.distirig'uish;.so>swiftly.it passes and ■ returns;'/i' 1 Christina-vßbssetti, Mary Coleridge, • ':Cahori-"> J Di::bn;*. ;T;'■' E.V Br'o)vn,\ are'among the more;recent English, poets, who' especially the' possession-'pf; this, magic power:',':, Whence: these/shapes'; ■and'"visions; come;'; : .;'froin.;.'iTrhat --past;; thronghvwhat''channels:pf heredity ,what'influ"6n'ce : or';agency;;whatithey sig-' ! -,iufv; •■■ and!'!'what - :'; bearing .• they! ; may. • have. as' l abl^'^]/ond-;'human\-answ«i. ,; v-j..Vi','',.:?-".-'.« '•it!is certaihythat.;tlus'.'n.bt- ; qnifo-'ea;rthly.. beauW" will ;-.ever; he-!;not;...the'!;le'ast;';vde--Jightful .refreshment,' of>life /tb'at./js'ftp'ibe,: found ■ in> poetry..'! • l And,7 jwithbiit, -'being ■ ! ; 'fantas&;-;St'«is';;pb^ble'.'pt6;r''tta(».V-its v ' gradnal brighteningyto /its,full. clearness in.!;writers otherwise",widely;..different in temperament' a'ud. accomplishment,;■ .and mhny .years' apart,; who;;.havb. happenedoiii the"same, aspects;of : tho outev : world. By -whichfto reveal' its. presence. "If wb . compare; !v'The/ Wild;!.Geeso''.;of !:Michaer Josepi'.Bariy—'-.,;,-.■.".■;.;•:;,.•.! !- : - ..,:.- :;

The': Wild- Geese-^the■ .Wild.'.- Geese—sad,. -:■' r -sad was the wail .:;'....: ! . Thojt followed their; flight: onTth'o easterlj. ■ •■'■'•'-gale;-:' .--.-.' '.'.'."', i:' : -'r'^'■■}'■'•''.'■ ■•'-■'•- . But the; eyes..that 'had wept o'er : their :' ', . '--. Ne'er "brightened _to welcome tho.wander- :; ;.:: .'-.';.'.,../.-^.V".'■'.'■ .with-Sir-'.'Samuel.Fefgusoh's--

But- when-..the .wintry-frosts began, V ' 'And in'their long-drawn, lofty.flight; Tho'-wild geese.Avith'tHeir*iry,dm-:.: ■■. ; Distend;,the ear .of night,'.. .;. > and these with:lfiss. Lawless's perfect and exguisite(6tanza^.i:«.:Ji.;v i ,;t i „ l /'.-.-■' ! And sometimes - throiigh'': the long {still day '■'<■ TheV bre'edingherons.slowly-jrise,.-' - 'Lifting, grey: tranquil..'winEs:away '•'■' ~ ( - :S ; : 'i< : 'l " ' .it' is - as; if only ,'hero. was.\the./true image,' with ...everything : inessential .; .stripped away;'':'aad ; 'the scene 'is noV longer , a transcription of:the.transitory, .but some? ,thing endurably representative of human life.'-/:' '■ V''-'.,^':-'/!.'---"'.■:'':- :■•'.'■: ;■■.-. - In: a yet stranger ! solitude of thefimagiriatfqn.:these'otJier;ver'ses by tha same; poet, were written, in a ..piece entitled vTontehoy,-;After x the: Battle":—".:'. V, "Mary JSfotier,-shield ..us! Say, what men ■ : : - ::Varo.ye,:v'v:-;•';': ■ .'■'■'■ ■■^'■■.v'<'..••'■ '■■■'•■■'.. " Sweeping past so swiftly on .'this morning '~ -"sea^:: ; o-. :>■".:...-i;.v .-■' \ -.-.V -..■.■.,-. -1 "Without 6ails or rowlocks merrily, we ';3glide:;'::- -.■• : -,- ; - > .■:■■■/ .-,-. -■■:--: -/. Home to Corca Basoinn on; the brimming iv'tido."''; ■:-■':',- V;-. ; ;":.':-': [:- x '[ .-';': "Jesus save yon, gentry!' -Why are ye so :' white ■"■■:■"-'■' - ; -V- : '- .'■.',■■■'■■:■■.:.. " -■■":' Sitting all- so straight' and still in • the :■- : mistyvlightP'V: -,:;,, ..'."■•." -.:;,■-.-- "Nothing jails us,'brother; joyous: souls ;--> are-wo :•'-'''■'■', ■.''''''., ' ■■■■ Sailing homo together,: on the •, morning "'// sea" .■'. \ ,'.- '■ .'■ Some-such phantom sense of things /unseen; that reminds' the. reader, of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar,"..and yet.has a curiously different effect on : the mind, dwells, we think, in.the following,stanzas from '/William Dara's": "The last Toy-, age":--..' : ''.■.. -,;. ,-■"■ .;■:.' .' : ■-.-■

But ever to those waves I bend mine eyes, ; -Which ; Christ has crossed with lonely, 'lonely feet, ... '.' : (■;■':■ And hoar' the uncomplaining waters rise ;: With .voices, oh, how sweet! - -. Sweet,'.sweeter far than all' the corcless : -'joys ■'■■■ '•■ ■ ' •'■-.'' :. ••'•'■... '•'■ •■ Youth plucks amid;the branches of the ';-. mind, ':-•'.'■ •.: . Or fame that .dies; within its. own sweet noise, ,'i •" :.'.> ',■"■ .../■■. .'. Leaving no sweet behind. '.; .• ~ .. So. may I pass, forgotten : and unknown O'er, these uhsleeiring:- .waters, .to , the •;.;■• grave, v ; ■■' : ''..': "■" .' And taste the lonely bliss of pain, alone Crossing the' last long wave. • And in his "Song .of a TurfVsod" we see after,,rather than concurrently with, the reading the remote experience .it, tells of:^'.V; ,.' :: \- v ""'■'"' I-have surprises, hid for'showing, / When.by'my. light you start,'. Watching the,old; queer faces going .'•■'• Across my. burning heart. And '.while I doze inflshes'piling,' ' • Perhaps yourself you'll see, Through some, old Gaelic gateway smilv ing. - '--_ .';.. •'.':. ;','■ '-.''.. ' f;ln my antiquity. . . . .;. : i Theso. beautiful passages are representative' not, ohly-.of their, writers, but, of nil .the later, and 'most gifted poets . in this volume; who seeni to stand in an introspective solitude, deliberately' aloof from the interests'and difficulties of life; to seek in Nahire only, a mystical symbol, of the twilight and 'sequestered kingdom of dream within.'. The effect at last.is one of monotony, Tho, reader begins to lose touch with. reality''altogether s and poetry is no. longer a mirror reflecting in-beauty' and.clearness the whole moving and liviii'g : world ofmeii.'.but.a hermitage 'and. a cloister. -A' circumscribed ideal: exalted, into a tradition may prove ' at last.rather a hindrance than a help to the fostering of a Rational. poetry.