| Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922. |
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| 76. Killarney |
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| By William Larminie |
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| IS there one desires to hear | |
| If within the shores of Eire | |
| Eyes may still behold the scene | |
| Far from Fand’s enticements? | |
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| Let him seek the southern hills | 5 |
| And those lakes of loveliest water | |
| Where the richest blooms of Spring | |
| Burn to reddest Autumn: | |
| And the clearest echo sings | |
| Notes a goddess taught her. | 10 |
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| Ah! ’t was very long ago, | |
| And the words are now denied her: | |
| But the purple hillsides know | |
| Still the tones delightsome, | |
| And their breasts, impassioned, glow | 15 |
| As were Fand beside them. | |
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| And though many an isle be fair, | |
| Fairer still is Innisfallen, | |
| Since the hour Cuchullain lay | |
| In the bower enchanted. | 20 |
| See! the ash that waves to-day. | |
| Fand its grandsire planted. | |
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| When from wave to mountain-top | |
| All delight thy sense bewilders, | |
| Thou shalt own the wonders wrought | 25 |
| Once by her skilled fingers, | |
| Still, though many an age be gone, | |
| Round Killarney lingers. | |
| | | These verse make the epilogue to a long poem called “Fand” which is based on the story of the love of Fand, the Sea-god’s wife, for Cuchullain and the jealousy of Cuchullain’s wife, Emer. William Larminie, the poet of “Fand,” had certain theories of English verse which might form a doctrine for the free verse poets of to-day. He considered that free verse might gain by an association with the Irish system of assonance. The “Epilogue to Fand” is an interesting experiment—the poet achieves beautiful music in it through the use of assonance. |
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