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THE VENGEANCE

OF FIONN

BY AUSTIN CLARKE

MAUNSEL 85 COM ! ANY,LTD .

D U B L I N AN D LONDO N . 1 9 1 7

ARGUMENT

The Vengeance of Fi onn i s b ased on the ! u rsu i t of D i a rmui d andGra inne (Tomighmct Dhiarmuda agus Ghrai rme). The legend may bethus outl i ned Gra inne

,daughter of K i ng Cormac and the be trothed of

Fi onn, the leade r of the Fi anna, puts D i a rmuid, one of the Fi anna, unde r

certa i n bonds (i n Gael ic, geusa) to fly wi th her. They are purs ued byFiona

,to whom D i a rmu id remains fa i thful. They wande r ove r I re l and.

After many escape s, hero i c combat s and so forth, peace i s madebetween Fionn and D i a rmuid, an d the l atter sett les down wi th Gra inne

i n the cantred of Sl i go. D i a rmui d finally clays a mag i c boar, but i smo rtally wounded i n the fight

,and die s, t aunted by Fi onn. There i s a

resemblance between the Gae l i c legend and the Greek tale of thedeath of Adona i s.The ! oem begins in the middle age of D i a rmui d and Gra inne

,

and ch anges rap i dly,v i s i onal ly

,to the i r youth and love , —so that

the reade r has an awarenes s of the past— i deal i n i tse lf, yet furthe ri deal ized by memory— in the present.

2061 420

THE VENGEANCE OF FIONN

Upon a stormful n igh tfal l when the plai n

And moun tai ns darkened and the fiery forge

Of sundown under soot-black clouds of ra in

Bu rned fiercest,l ike some angered demiurge

Brood ing i n i ron th rough red-glower ing smoke

Smeltered; up from the smoulder ing glooms one came

To Almhu in wh i le the great slow ra i ndrops broke,

Hot r idden from the westward fogs and flame

To Fionn,tel l i ng of fri endsh ip and of feast

Under Co isco rrain after stranger yea rs

For h im and the Fianna— and so ceased .

Then Fionn,re turned from frays

,among th ick spea rs

Glimpsed i n ra i n-h issed torches,l oomed th rough n igh t

Musing and so at l ength the wande rers

That once ate,supped

,ftom cressy brooks— i n v i te

H im to the i r rath And there were cauldron fires

S immer ing,red-yew vats of mead and wine

,

Gri nd ing of Wheat i n querns,r ich lav ish ed food

,

S houts of hun ters and slaugh ter of fattened kine

Haply was lov e and ch i l d i ng grown wear i some

To them ? They woul d seek noisy mul ti tude,

Fugi t i ve from each other ? Yea he would come.

8


He turned to gloomy Durra ing,“ From the west

D iarmui d and Gra inne lov ing send to me

Tid i ng of the i r fr iendsh i p and of feast.

There we shal l h un t down to th e wi ndy sea

G reat stags — th e sudden l igh t from wi de-flung d oors

S natched the hosts from darkness— me rr i ly

He muttered,

“ hound,perchance the moun tai n boars.”

So on a gusty day

From bare stone moun tai n s where the ki tt iwakes

Scudded and screamed be neath th e clouds of grey

Sea-ra i n or tossed abov e the l ong black lakes

Wh i ten i ng i n th e gale,at fal l of n igh t

Across brown boglands under mountai n tops

That huddled darkly i n th e cold,wet l igh t

Of westward r i v ers,th rough loud leaves and drops

Wh ir l i ng from tattered trees th e Fenians came

In to Rath Ghrainne.

There amid th e glows

And ruddy warmth s many-th roated acclaim

Rang smi tten from bronze crowded sh ie lds,an d rose

Among the oaken rafte rs wi th slow smoke

And hot sweet savours of th e feast,a tun e

Harped from col d st r i ngs,l augh ter of women folk

Hurry i ng,rustl e of feet on th ickly strewn

Rushes ! then si lence, and a woman’s voice

2


S peak ing— O Speech that once was sweetest song

Here in ou r rath , O Fionn , l e t us rejoi ce

Together. We hav e forgot ten th e ol d wrong

And put o ff fool i shness wi th th e wi se years .”

As she smi led h e saw the troubled bi rths

And ch i l d-cares i n her face,upon her l ips

Langoured as of old , sad autumn l igh t

Thereafter,darker

,p rouder

,wi th h is age

D iarmui d stand ing near.

And when the feas t

Was loudest an d th e fiery torch es gleamed

Upon the si l ver methers of mead,Oisi n

Arose an d sang of sorrow t i l l men dreamed

Of women that were d ead . But Fionn cr ied out

B i tter that song. Chaun t us of spear and skeen,

How one sleety day on Sliabh na mBhan our hounds

Broke from the dripp ing bu sh es and a boar

Sprang,

” h e stepped. They heard strange trampled

sounds

And heavy breaths upon the n igh t outside,

But Fionn ben t h is grey head,smi l i ng

,h is mind

Drui d-dark. The dagger gua rded doo r

Was turned by Kerns and wi th a sh r iek the wind

Rushed i n on th em,laugh ingly Diarmuid cr i ed

Surely O Warr iors our feas t i s good,

3


Its r ipened savours cal l from h i l l an d woo d

N igh t’s hungry farrows l ” But Fion n looked

met

The eyes of Grainne ;

In the deep of n igh t

When al l were slumber ing Grainne woke from dreams

In sweating h ea t an d tossed the h eavy clothes

Aside and sat up i n t h e s i len t gl eams

Of moon l igh t heari ng watchdogs at t he gate

Begi n to wh ine . “ The moon i s strangely br igh t

S he though t d rowsi ng,i t must be at th e ful l

,

And the rai n and wind gone from th e skyO I am hot there is the sp i n dled wool

And th e th ree firkins.” Sh e l is tened . Her bedmate

Muttere d from h is sl eep and started up

Cal l i ng wi th a loud vo ice The hounds They race

And bel l down Beann Gulbain. Look the boar

Bursts from th e blood-wet bushes. ! ui ck, my spear

Wi th the long si lken sl i ng S he fel t his breath

Burn ing on her. Hush D iarmuid,you only hear

The mastiffs haying th e moon . I t i s some dream

The Druid-dark puts on you . I saw h is eyes

To-n igh t.” But he muttered . I hear a fi r

Talking,talk i ng. There is a l i ttl e th ing

Gnawing at i ts roots. I t wi l l no t sti r .

4


What is i t that i s gnawing at the roots

And talki ng,talking there ? ” Then Gra inne turned

And pul le d h im on he r hot breasts un ti l he slep t.

Wear ied she slowly sank through sleep and fled

Al l nigh t i n dark strange d reams and at th e dawn

Waken ing wi th th e sunsh i ne on th e i r bed

S he spoke to D iarmui d and foun d that he was gone .

But far away upon the h i l l s she h eard

The bel l ing hounds,wh i le somewhere near a bi rd

S ang.

At early day

Out i n th e windy sunl igh t on a h i l l

Beneath the forests of Beann Gulba in they

S tood and Fion n spoke gloomi ly Your wil l

And changel i ng years have taken h er. The w i ld

Del icate gi rl hood and the l issom ai r

Of her are gone wi th the dead popp ies. Her ch i l d

Is yours an d al l h er ways. Only her hai r

Burns arrogan t across th e black rav ine

Of ru i nous years h e stopped . Th rough a grey mist

Of dream he saw th e gi r l ish Gra inne l ean

U tterly from the past and then h e fel t

Her fingers quietly as dewfal l p rest

H is brow and hoarsened he cri ed ou t You changed

White Gra inne who was mine when ye fled west

The angered stars th en on the h i l ls i de ranged

And as a gale shoul ders a moun ta i n fi r

Un ti l i t c r i es out an d the d im roots st i r

Deep i n th e clay an d rock so Fionn lean t

Fiercely upon h is boar spear t i l l i t ben t

Earthward . Th erea t D iarmuid turned and said,

With b ickered eyes B i tte r i s that reproof

O Fionn who know that i t was Grainne le d

Me under bonds of magic from your roof

To th e bare h i l ls w i thout and we at n igh t

6


Like waters wandering under the sky

Darkly. ! Rapidly came th e other’s reply

Like the ra i l l ery of summer ra in Ah 1 Y es,

Was not that magic swee t i n your desp i te

Being but th e bondage of her lovel i ness

And your desi re Veri ly was ’ t not sweet

To follow n igh t as moun ta i n streams th e sea

And at dusk-faded lakes to cool he r fee t

Wear i ly burn i ng and wi th we t green l ea ves

Or mosses staunch them wh i le on stoop ing knee

You laughed up to her ? Surely a warr ior’s toi l

And the grim bond of your enchan tmen t gr ie ves

You yet to fury ? Does the mad blood bo i l

In the black cauld ron of your heart an d steam

Across your narrowed nostr i l s ? How sweet to mock

Me— Fionn— when you were wakened from some

dream

Feel ing the d rowsy arms of Gra inne bind

You i n wh i te flame O Fionn l— an ol d grey rock

Beneath the sky, th e cold arms of the wind

Flung amorous around h im The othe r Spalt e“ I loved her

,Fion n . Laugh ing an d l igh t was she

But si l en t i n our love and l ike a bow

Fiercely tense . Ye t i n a win te r two

Learn to sleep sound toge ther. I ’ l l not wrong

A love r,no

,not one though on her l ips

Th inking,I have turned b i tterly to long


For the loud swords and the stern comrades. You

Are wise i n war. Are you not wise i n love

And wi v ing ? Leave anger to the years.

Remember,Fionn

,how once you lay en tranced

Upon the lonely cran nog of th e lake

Of In ish Tui le and the bluebel l s danced

And the winds wh istl ed ye,unheard . I came

And slew th ree wizards at th e sandy sp i t

We feasted and mead splashed th e torches’ flame

From gold-red goblets,sudden

,we saw them fl it

,

Three bearded shadows ; then gran i te crags rang out

Dwind led wi th screams of n igh t. Remembe r I

Drank with my th i rsti ng sword i n many a rout

And battl e of yours.” But Fionn laughe d bi t ter ly

And stared in darkness a t th e grassy ground

Unsee ing,fo r h is m ind groped to his dead lo ve

And towards th e past h i s h ear t,a hungered hound

,

S tra ined at the leash . Let be,for I am old

,

”

He cr ied,

“ fool ish and ol d . What have the ol d to do

With d reams the heated sinews of youth,no spears

Or staghunts weary, beget. His words can woo

No woman to h im whose bo dy i s ben t and cold ,”

Proudly h e towered th rough the moun tai n a i r,Old Old th is wh i tlow

,th is th i ng for

women ’s tears

A momen t’s blood-drop no more Who'l l snarl, rage,Whelp ing his wounds ? I am of that old breed

8


That ’s gone,begotten from the fire that’s h i d

In the loi ns of the cold rocks. Like a boy

S tubbornly courage’

d th is grew— th is that’s my own

Th is Fianna Sprung fiercely from my joy

Of generation,my hot impatien t seed

,

My manhood . Ye that are my blood and bone

Ambi t ioned,

figh ters,hun ters of my years

,

I see ye goi ng O Fen ians and I see

The fierce,the i ndomi table sun-we l ded spears

Snapt l ike sapl i ngs and the win ter skyWatch ing the desolate ru in s on Almhu in h i l l

And th e ster i l e plain . Loud the rut of stags

By stony Echtge , no hound on Le i ter Lone,Through the gray trees of Liathdroma s t i l l

The cuckoo vo ices float along the glen

But from the clouds the mountai n cl iffs wi l l cry

For al l the i r eagl es of the bronze-flamed wings

Aye,a brood of eagles

,for we were men

That greatly l i ved and knew what ’ twas to love

And what to hate Huge by h i s spear h e stood

Rugged aga inst th e sky,upon h is brow

The sol emn sun l igh t. Remember ing,he sh rank

In to grey cunn ing “ Fool ish i t were indeed

To wrangle on the aged ledge of l i fe

Where I’ve scarce foothold . Diarmuid,le t us go

,

For stayi ng,you wrestl e wi th a worse than I

— Death,and know the e v i l ness decreed

9


Upon the moun ta i n of Beann Gulbain. He turned

From the h i l l,

“ 0 l imp away, th e younger cr i ed,For I have come to hunt “Would you be urned

With in a cai rn of hillstones,F ionn repl ied

Un ti l a sp id er sp i n s your dust ? You know

That once we struggl ed down a windy shore

And through the storming wel ter and the foam

Heard a sea-vo i ce wi th hol d you from th e boar

That whe ts th e forest boulders of Gulban.

“ It l i ed

D iarmuid,no sword can figh t th e druid c raft

And i t i s t ruthAnd fate th e o ther l aughed .

Hurryi ng from the dark-l i t p i n es beneath

The Fenians scat tered on the sunbrowned h eath ,Bronze-gi r t Oscar

,Cao ilte and Oisi n

Hai l i ng Fionn and D iarmuid on the green

Hi l l top . The poe t musical ly l ipped

As I came h i ther O Fionn I h ea rd th e sounds

Of otters swimming lakeward and glad cal ls

From h eigh t to he igh t and sweetly be l l ing hound s

Ti l l louder than th e roari ng of th e fal l s

At Assaroe th e anger of your words

Foamed aga inst th e wi nd . O be not rash

Of tongue les t quicker than the si l v e r flash

Of salmon leap i ng the re,unscabbarded swords

I O


Ligh ten be tween ye

But Fionn d id n0 t h ea r.

He stood knee-deep i n ferns ; boar-l ike, h is eyes

Gl in t ing. He saw abov e th e forest’s verge

The black bl un t precip ice of G lfl ban rear

Skyward,the clouded moun tai n tops and th ree

Eagles i n the h igh blue ai r l ike fl ies

Fl icker ing around a sol i tary pe ak .

Below th e windy h illocks dropped to th e sea

A blue-green-shadowed pla in,and sal t-wh i te su rge

Pawed round black capes. Then he heard O isi n spe ak

To the Fianna,Watch ye l ike a wh i te cloud

Of seamews hover ing wi th drooped p i nk claws

Over th e green-hol lowed waves for prey ?

Begone Cao ilte laugh ing an d D iarmuid say

S lowly mouth ed O maker of the loud

War words that d r i ve th e foe l ike rooks and daws

From creaking elms,of songs that pluck out w rath

E ven as a harpe r a rusted str i ng,not you

But h im whose taun ts to me are as th e froth

On a boar’s hot fangs,I spurn

,I spurn .

” A rave n flew

Like a black though t i n to the fo rest trees

Above and from the sun-green bracken Fionn stared

At i ts slow fl igh t t i l l l ike th e sea-born breeze

Sough ing th rough the p i ne s below he heard

The voice of D iarmuid “ and if I no mo re

Come from the forest ’s jaws when yonder sun i s red

1 I

0 make for me a song O isin lest men

That loved me once,wrong me when I am dead

Fr iend,fri e nd

,a song of laugh te r and of tears

,

Of the glad sunl igh t and th e gl i tter i ng spears

Of spr ingtime ra i n,my figh ts and wanderi ngs

Conquest and l ov e and sleep.

Tel l th at the c lay of age coul d n ever creep

Cold ly aroun d my hear t nor d i d I si t

Mumbl ing at a turf fire hal f bl i nd wi th rh eum

And maybe grop i ng feebly i n the gloom

Fi nger th e leath er breasts of a dumb hag

That once,O Gods

,was the wh i te Grainne .

That as th e l igh tn ing danci ng on the crag

I snatched th e joy of v ery l ife

Farewel l

1 2

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A l ong Beann Gulbain th rough the darkened trees.”

“ I t was the moonr i se,maybe

,

”

Do yo u not h ear a sti r ?“ I t i s th e breeze

G oi ng about th e reedy lake.

A cry

I h ear a curl ew cry i ng near the sky

Look ! A innle,l ook ! the fai ry mist

Is round us an d the grass is wet. A fear

Is on me.”

Be quie t now. Here is the

A innle ! What i s that st i l l th ing i n the n igh t ?

Where,Youngl ing ? I can on ly see the wh i te

Mushrooms i ’ th e grass.

Upon th e rath .”

A misty wi l low.

”

But i t turned and faced

Us,and when the moon shone out I saw ”

It i s some woman who has come to d raw

A pi tcher of water from the wel l . B ut here

Is th e gap ben eath the sal l i es . Let us haste !

1 4

IV

From the rath upon the darkened heigh t

A woman gazed in to th e lonely n igh t.

Long si nce th e lowing of the unmi lked cows

And the fa in t bl ea t of lambs lost from the i r ewes

On cold grey h i l l s had ceased . The far o ff cri es

O f herds and hunters plashed i ’ grassy dews

With barking dogs,eager for th e hearth fi re

Draugh ts of th ick mead,t he swine flesh and goat cheese

And swee t sl eep by thei r wi ves,had gone. No st ir

— S i lence and n igh t,only beneath the trees

The r i ve r flowi ng in to s i lence. Once arose

The patter i ng of feet along a path

Mingl in g wi th ch i l d ish voices sweetly sh r i l l

As the ri ver on th e pebbles . O too fast

A innle,A innle l ” floated beyond the h i l l .

The woman moved and l i stened as they passed

Moan ing. Hour after weary hour wen t by .

The moon was clouded . Seaward,far away

Beyond the i ron mountains,blackly cragged

,

Beann Gulba in loomed .

Through the n igh t th e sound of feebl e fee t

S tumbled slowly,and a wi th ered crone

,

A rush l igh t i n h er claw-th i n fingers,came

To th e woman . Ch il d,ch i ld

,ye a re wet

,

S he muttered,hobbl i ng n ear and i n th e flame

I S


Saw for a momen t th e wh i te face. Ye fre t

And fre t,poor ch i l d

,and your two hands l ike stones

Ly ing i n a col d pool . 0 childeen,come

From the damp ai r of n igh t t ime. Those young d rones

Are sleep ing i n th e i r beds,and I stayed up

To find you.” But the woman sat there dumb

And motionless. O Grainne,I am ol d

An d these poor wi th ered paps once gave you suck

And these ol d arms have nursed you . I t i s col d

And wet out here .” She wai led,remember ing

How she had seen th e gi rl ish Grainne gaze

E ven as now on th e col d s i lve r moon

Wi th sl ender fingers clasped round her wh i te knees

Shadowed i n her hai r,a sl eepy croon

'

Upon her l ips ; or on the summer days

Dance wh i tely th rough th e da is ies on the grassy lands

Of Tema ir where th e great dewlapped cows grazed

Or stood i n waters under e lm trees

S t ar ing. O ch i ld,I have a gold-graved cup

Brimmed wi th swee t mi lk. It was drawn by a gi rl ’s

wh i te hands

From the ful l udders of the red-brown cow

Grass-deep at lowing t ime and i t is mi ! t

Wi th honey sucked from clo ver by wi l d bees.

Come to the hot tur ves and put i ts taste be twi ! t

Your l ips.” She wrung her hands and keened O dead

O sorrow,sorrow th is n igh t

,what wi l l I do ?

1 6


Ch i ld ch i ld . The woman slowly ra ised he r head

And spoke Hush I wi l l go wi th you .”

Under the dark rafters can dlel igh t

Fl ickered uneasi ly and th e shadows woke

And moved about the floors on noise less feet .

B u t th e two women crouch ing by the flame

Upon the hearthstone knew not. A murmur broke

The sti l l ness 0 ch i ld , ch i l d, I’ l l put on peat

Fo r the fire’s ashy and you are wet and co l d .

I t is late,sleep a l i ttle

,sleep

,and I wi l l sleep

To o an d as she slumbered Grainne l eaned

Gently an d covered her. The othe rs keened

To-day she though t,

“ and someone would not weep,

Not weep . Their eyes are heavy and sleepy now,

Tired wi th th e long sun l igh t and now the day

Is old . I wi l l be quie t though i t i s old,Though al l these days are old

,these quie t days

That flowing slowly seemed one summer’s day

Undarkened nor di sturbed by n igh t and sleep

But e ven as sh i n i ng waters calmed i n deep

Pools,

—and al l th e peaceful household hours

And the garden of grasses an d long purple flowers,The swarmy mu rmuring of summer bees

Among the smoke-grey l imes,th e elm trees

Drowsing i n the heat of the blue noon

Around the rath when the t i red winds coul d pul l

I 7


No leaf and from the grianan came the croon

Of sp in n ing-women wh i l e th e bundled wool

Turned on the dron i ng spi nd l e,sweet to me

As I sewed i n the sun l igh t— a nd th e prattled words

Of ch i l dren and of waters a t th e fords.

Never on the h i l l tops shal l I see agai n

D iarmui d and the an tler-burdened men

Darkly speared agai nst the saffron west

Homecoming. I wi l l not look i t i s some dream

That wi l l go from me suddenly. No, no, no

Yet I coul d almost weep that al l these days

Are gone fore ver. Nigh t from its flooded we i r

Is rush ing blackly on me and I must gaze

In to i ts gloom and I am ful l of fear.”

Sh e l eaned and slowly swayed,

O l i ttl e ch i l dren of mi ne sl eep,sl eep

,awh i le

For i t IS n igh t and al l th e b i rds are st i l l .

O Connla of th e dark curls do not sti r,

The cr icke ts sleep.” “ I see my ch i l dre n smi l e,

S h e murmured,

“ i n the i r sleep. No,no

,they are grown

And gone from me She drowsed then sta rted up

0 Diarmuid, b i t ter i t i s

Through the long n igh ts,ly ing awake

,alone

,

S tretch i ng my arms to you i n va in,i n va in .

I t was Fionn that hated you and be trayed

You. I t was he pul l ed up the lone ly tree

Of the tal l windy nest an d i t is h e

1 8


Brough t sorrow and b i t terness on me .

I am a woman,helpless

,but i f you were here

D iarmuid,you would r i se up and catch a Spear

And dr i ve h im though he were wi th h is mul ti tudes.

I do forge t. Am I not beaut i ful ?

Has not Fionn sough t me lov ingly al l day ?

There i s sorrow more than a speary woun d

To lure h im to my l ips and laugh and turn away.

O Diarmuid,my dark strong love

,my love

,

”she crooned

,

We wil l go again,we wi l l haste

,to the lonely woods

Where the r ipe red berr ies drop an d qu ie t rai n,

Where si l ver waters twi nkle wi th swal low wings

And be tween the moun tai ns grassy glens are ful l

O f sunsh in e and of l i ttl e b i rds.

We wil l be there wander ing and talk ing lov e

By the streamy ways and putt i ng o ff ol d thoughts

Of the dark moons i n a l i ttl e place of trees.

I t i s I,cal l ing you

, Gra inne,th e beauti ful

,

Gra inne,the lonely. She raised her proud head

As i n th e col d sta rl i t a i r and th e breeze,

S he was shaken by ol d vehemen t

! oys t i l l sh e forgot the summer days

Of a new hope,th e quicken ing i n her womb

That gave h er hear t sweet fai n tness and the throes

Of longed b i rth,the babes that sucked her pain i ng breas t

With soft closed l ips and al l the gen tle kin d

Ways a mother knows,the sleep and rest

I 9


That her cool hands l ike c louds of quie tness bring

To ch i l d ren who are weary. Wild,enraptured

,

Her lov e was rebo rn i n wonder i ng

And wi th a sudden brigh tness came

And dazzl i ng her memory rose and wrough t

Her to i ts l iken ess that was as a flame

Burn i ng th e toppled years and al l he r though t

S hook i n pass ionate pulses and vo ices Sprang

Around her l i ke storm-e ! ul t i ng bi rds that sang

And rose and dropt i n fi re and rose agai n

S inging i n th e brigh tness,in the flame

O i t i s Gra inne th e gol den,th e beaut i fu l

Who has not passed,who has not d ied

Though the flowers d ie . The years are l igh t

Sh i n i ng around her. And one cr i ed

As I went over Knocknerea at n igh t

I saw a blossom,gleam i ng

,golden-wh i te.

Nay i t was Gra inne,the gol den

,th e beauti ful

,

Gra inne th e flower-l ike .” And the Cai l l each woke,

The aged one,and saw a dream-l ike form

Th rough the restless shadows of the smoke

And he r l ips muttered Like a st i l l wh i te storm

A dawn-wh i te creature broods upon the brink

Of joy,beauti ful as Gra inne alone

When she was young.” Her eyes began to bl i nk

Cat-l ike,and nodd i ng wear i ly

,th e crone

S lep t.

20


Lightly then th e sl ender harpstrings th robbed

Like the wh isperi ng of forest trees ;The beauti ful

,th e golden .’ Then al l turned

,

Saw by the th reshold i n th e gl i n t i ng l igh t

Of spear-teps, ra imen ted i n gol d and wh i te,Gra inne stan d ing. But th e harps ou tsobbed

And wi th blanched l ips th e harpers rose and cr ie d

The harpstrings bleed our fingers an d we fear

The shadows passing on the winds outs i de .!

And i n th e sudden hush an ol d man sa i d

I hear far-o ff th e host of shadows r i de,

And hurr i ed ly a youth spoke they are near.

Thei r sea-l i t faces sh i n e upon th e n igh t.”

Then rose strange vo ices murmurous as a t i de

0 where is Gra inne,th e golden

,th e beaut i ful ?

And l ike th e flowi ng of sea-waves others cr i e d

.O where i s Grainne,th e golden

,that was wed

Ye t was not w ife An d a sad v oi ce rep l ied

Lo Gra inne,the golden

,th e beau t i ful

,i s dead

And her red l ips are dust The warr iors s igh ed,

Bowed as i f th ey sank in sleep . Arose

Gra inne,the sweet- vo iced

,spake out laugh ingly

0 men,ye pale as poplars when wi n d blows

Rain i ly ! Ye drowse and grow afra i d

O f dreams Then turn i ng kingward, Look on

Fath er I and proudly rose to her ful l he igh t

Like a huntress,si l ve r-gi r t

,from deep green trees

22

THE VENGEANCE o r FIONN

Gl immering forth . Do I not l i v e and breathe

And laugh Am I not Gra inne ? Haply these

Warr iors have tasted of a slumberous mead

Brewed from poppies and herbs by mutter i ng crones

Under a sal low moon Besti r,besti r

0 men Is’ t so ye welcome me ? Let str ings

Sweetly awaken wi th songs of Tara’s ki ngs,

Thei r queens and the i r queens’ daugh te rs

Wi th flash ing eyes

She looked upon the crowding faces,laughed

I hav e a wi ne,0 warr iors. Hear ye

’Twas mingled on a morn ing by swee t c raft

Of my fingers that al l m igh t madly dr ink to me,

And at a S i gn her women gl i ded i n

Pale and si len t,br inging wine to the men

And stole forth, Gra inne wi th a gol den cup

Gave to the ch iefs,but towards the last sh e came

Wineless. Fionn watched her and feebly started up

Cry ing out ‘ 0 Treachery then sank

Among the sl eep ing th rong .

But to the One

Grainne spoke Al l th is have I dared for you,

The anger h idden i n the i r unchal lenged Spears

And the aged frenzy of Fionu— O terr i ble

As a scream broken,yet I was for your sake

23


Laugh ing,scorn ful . And shal l my trai torous tongue

Be now laggard,i nconstan t words perpl e ! and I

Fal ter abashed l ike any heartsi ck maid

In th e K i ng’s house whose fool ish words are tears ?

Nay,nay . I wi l l speak . Sleep ing, th ey dream ofme

And thei r l ips say that I am beauti fu l .

Shal l I be bar tered ? The salmon wil l l eap the i r we i rs,

Tideward e ! ul t i ng l— My breath grows fai n t, the n igh t

Is hot— ’ twi l l pass— ’ t is gone. I hav e gi ven all,

All,though I am Gra inne

,deeming i t l igh t

Who am Gra inne . I put you under anc ien t bo nds

To bri ng me forth from th is rui ned reve l ry.

I choose,I put you under lov i ng bonds

G lad ly i n per i l,i n darkness

,to lov e me

,defend me

,

Diarmuid O Du ibhne l ”

With a word,she wen t

Forth among h er women . S i len t,pale

,

They clad h er and she hurr ied i n to th e n igh t.

A shadow rose up l ike a gaun t black tree

And stooped to her,cry ing out importunate

O Gra inne,hasten back lest al l be late

And they awaken . Fly to th e warm roof

Knowing how bi tter are th e barren h i l ls

In th e col d grey dawn

0 what is th is to me,Diarmui d

Fool i sh O Grainne were your fl igh t.

24


Peace an d a doorway of th e sunl igh t, yours ;But I was whelped by war

,cubbed by gr im cl ime

And suckled at th e dugs of wo lfish pl igh t,Aye

,r i bbed by l ean famine

,tanne d as tawny neat,

Bare as a tho rn bush that th e col d winds bi te

Proudly he paused,then h i s words Sped l ike slee t

“ It is a b i tter th ing to bring reproof

And rann s of mocking poets on my name,

To make men hu r l,from S l i ngs of fury

,words

At me,to pul l me down on knees of shame .

Aye then the swee t m i lk th ickens in to curds

And mead vats sour,th e hot turf turns to dust

On th e ston e-flags that once was raked by swords.

It i s a b i t tere r th ing to br ing me tru st

In your whi te hands,O G i r l of th e green h i l l s

O f Tema ir . You are Fionn ’s,desti ned

,espoused

And h e is my ch ie ftai n and my frien d.”

0 s lowly then she rose and her r i ch arms

Made glamorous th e n igh t,an d joyously

Th e words came th robb ing from her wi l d wh i te th roat

Deare r at mo ont ime the go atherd to th e goat

Then the slow sweet crunch of juicy stalks

Or the grass-smel l ing ai r o r sl ippe ry rocks

Tumbled on a moun tain-top where hawks

Hang i n th e gray of day Yet do th e free,

The wol f-suckled,fol low in jostled flocks

The herd ’s sh r i l l wh istle ? O I could sing

2S


So glad and wi l d am I to-n igh t

But h e

Angri ly ben t an d see i ng th e moonl igh t gl eam

On her wh i te sandal s cr ied “ Your l i ttle feet

Are naked l ”

S h e laugh ed .

O Gra inne,re turn

,return

For th e n igh t i s ch i l l and loveless .”

She shook

Ga i ly and from th e bra id s across her brow

Upon h er brigh ten i ng shoulders h er hai r ra ined

Co i l e d gold

O al l th e n igh t,

”she sang is mad

Wi th music,on th e waters of the mo ssy spr i ngs

Moth-pal e moons are dand l ed and l i ttl e wings

Run gl immering to the stars . Am I not glad ?

And beauti ful ? And young ? 0 i n the d ew

I ’ l l l igh tly dance beneath a l i nden tree

Unt i l tbc saffron dawn,then laugh ed

,

“0 You

Pray is h e soughten, cr ied to, who is crowned ?

Is h e no less a K i ng,haled to the th rone

Unwi l l i ng ? S hal l th e ransomed clutch the ground

Harden ed by th e i r age ing fee t and moan,

Swee te r to us th e gloom than the wh i te day

S tabb i n g our eyes. Begone Begone Yet,pray

,

Can the free h av e freedom th rust on th em

A king,kinghood ? Shal l lovel i ness break crust

26


And sup wi th starve l ings ? As I sa t at noon

Fionn stole up secre tly to me and ben t

To kiss my bro ide red ro be of wh i te and gold

Clumsied at my d isdain , he turned away

Then would hav e h el d me— but I caugh t an d drave

His dagger so that,fierce-laugh ing

,he wen t .

Yetwhat though he i s scarred by wars of ol dAnd l ike th e win tered wol ves be gaun t and gray

,

Ever i s h e k ingl ike. S tern is h is wi l l,

Swift is h e to love,swifte r to ki l l.

G lad ly to th e gr ianan I wi l l go,My maids wi l l lose my hai r and quie t as sleep

Barefooted wi th the moonl igh t I w i l l creep

In to h is couch .

But D iarmui d cr i ed Not so

And passi oned caugh t her,se e ing her dark eyes sh ine

With a strange l igh t,ungi rl ish

,and h e swayed

S tormful above her as a moun tai n p i n e

Seen b lackly when profoundest n igh t is p ierced

With s i len t l igh tn ing “Gra inne,come to me

,

O come to me .” Impatien tl y he fierced ;“ It is i n tolerabl e

,not to be endured

For he is ol d and b i tte r . But I have n eeds,Beloved of you . Yet th ink not I am lured

By cozen i ng laugh te r,wh eedled by a tear

Or chase th e lapwing l imp ing th rough the reeds

Unhurt . You are mine , swear me th is . O swear

27


By wi nd and sun l ”

A so b d rowned i n h er pan t ing breath

Yours,yours alone 1” O scarce heard words l ike wine

Drunk up. And fiercer th i s Yea,un ti l death l ”

Then caugh t h er ra imen t an d her bosom,bare

,

Rose wh i te ben eath her fingers and her hai r

B rake from i ts fi l l ets i n tumul tuous gol d .

! oyously her murmurs trampled shame

O rai n ’s but rai n an d col d no more than cold

And what are these to us,O Love

,Love

,Love

S he clung to h im shaken wi th sobs. He,wonder i ng

,

Comforted Fear not By i ts hot reeking root

I ’d pluck out the i r l ol le d tongues of loud pursui t

Ere th ey shoul d touch you,Love . Nor they be ing come

Loomed th rough a sinking dust-cloud shal l we make

Wi th ben t brows a th reshold of the i r fee t nor cr inge

And twi tc h bed raggled bordures for a crumb

Of beggary . Though al l th e unhazarded n igh t

Be loud wi th harms,though sudden moun tai ns h ide

Chasmed blackness,though th e strange waters are wide

,

Yet shal l a l l th ese be an idl e burr to rn o ff

Impatien t,to us who have loved an d laughed and gone

forth

Not to be h i ndered,n igh t fled

,i n conquerable

He sprang to horse and caugh t her. The n igh t rose i n

a blas t

And the shadows of the trees l eaped up and gal loped past.

28


Branches of bogmyrtle , purpl e l uss

And marigol ds for Gra inne’

s fee t to crush

S lowly Fion n sti rred and from a l inger i ng d ream

Drone d sl eep i ly,0 l i ttl e Gra inne

,come

For I am weary of feast and apple-sweet song.

Too much about th e heady mead men hum

Like grumbl ing bees roun d honey. Haste along

One rush l igh t si l ver-sconced— so smal l,your breath

May fl ick i t out l— wil l l igh t our lov e. ’Twil l make

Darkness but more dark He turned and stared

O n th e hudd led sleepers th rough th e float ing smoke

And sp luttered flame of resi ny torch es. He smi led .

Awaked,h i s sudden though ts i n dazzl i ng l igh t

Li ke bats sun-bl i nded beat aga inst his brai n

T i l l they were blood ied breaking from thei r pai n

He towered th rough the torchy gloom and cr ied

O Fool s Fools awake ! Look to the doors !

And fiercely shook the old K i ng by h i s side

S unken,a th i n grey man robbed by his snores

O f royal ty who woke and peev ish ch id,Mu tterful. But Fionn spurn i ng h im

,king-r i d

,

Grasped at d rowsy shoulders Ye bl i n d moles

F rom the black burrows of your sl eep,come out

O r I wi l l rummage wi th my sword i n holes

And crann ies,s tab and slay Arose a shout

And murmur of swords. They stare a t me and yawn,

He foamed,th en turned to them O Gra inne has fled

30


With D iarmuid O Du ibhne . I t is n igh the dawn .

He snatched a torch and brand ish ing i t ran

Down draugh ty glooms. Before the maraud ing man

G ian t-shadowed,torchl i t

,as leaves from a storm

Rose women,wai l ful

,flee i ng. He looked aroun d

A si len t grianan and on the moon-wh i te ground

Saw Grainne’

s br idal robes,then frenzy ing !

False-hearted,fa i th less

,hot an d lus tful her haste

To loose the si lken gol d from her wh i te waist

And wrap i n rags. O how her ga rmen ts gape

Hol lowly,mocking her sl ender shape.”

He l istened,hearing far away the wind

Pluck voices from the trees upon the he igh t

O Grainne the golden,th e beauti ful

,i s gone

Yet wh i th e r who knows ? Dark,sunder ing

,i s n igh t

And who shal l seek out her

O Grainne,the betrothed

,the fa i th less i s fled

Ah she. the beauti ful , the wh i te ly-gold

IS gone . 0 nevermore sha l l Fionn behol d

Gra inne,th e gi rl ish

,th e free

,for she i s wed

And woman evermore.” He h i d h is eyes

And mouth , fev ered, i n h er soft robes— O they

Too madly fain t, too sweet, of her l— and clung

In to the ir fragrance of her. Rising h e swung

The torch sp i t t i ng in fiery drops of p i tch

O Treachery !

I am befooled,left to grey dotage

,spurned

3 I


Scarce-worn,I am cast o ff.” The red-gold torque

Tigh tened on h is th roat an d angered burn ed .

He tore i t o ff yea e ven so w i th me.

Pi tied and mocked at by my trudging men,

Aye,gaped by chat ter i ng women come to sun

Themsel ves and mi l k the i r babes or card wh i te wool

Upon th e raths. Diarmuid, the dark, has done

Ev i l to me th is n igh t,and Gra inne th e beauti ful

My bride . I’ l l h un t them day and n igh t from Dow th

To Err igal’

s black boulders,d ig down e very l i ss

,

Tumble cromlechs and slay h im likea cal f.

O then I’l l crush he r sweet,sweet

,madden i ng mouth

Unde r my l ips. I ’ l l k i l l h er i n a kiss

And laugh laugh laugh !

Con vuls i ve he tottered then sough t th e c lamouri ng

crowd

The char iots l The hounds Arose uproar

Of runn ing men and sobs of women cowed

In shadowy corners— th rough tapestr i es n igh t a i rs

Wh istled and waned— outsi de the torches tore

The n igh t wi th wi ndy flame— the fr igh tened mares

And foal s wh i nn i ed— hounds bayed the i r hunger— at

las t

Wi th Shouts and toss in g torch l igh ts,swept i n a blast

Through clouds of dark stampeded dust,l ash-urged

The stal l ions screamed,th e shudder i ng char iots creaked

Madder than moun ta i n oakboughs stormful ly wreaked

32


And the parched a ! les rumbl ing i n th e naves

Grew hot as when the i r hammered bronze was forged

Loud on the h i ss ing anv i ls,str ipped of flame .

So down the roads of Temair the Fianna came

Chariotee red i n thunderi ng ; bloodhounds

Snifi’

ed,fanged the wind and then i n migh ty bounds

Sprang at the th roat of n igh t.

33

VI

Through dark rav i nes of cloud the dawn ing broke

In flash i ng cataracts of angered gol d

On eagl e crags ; i n m ists of greyish smoke

The waters of th e darkness,black and cold

,

S p i l l ed from th e worl d ’s cl iffs to the ocean p i t.

S tar-rush l igh ts gutte red out along th e sky,

The peewi ts’ wh imper ing began to fl it

Across wet grasses and the cuckoo’s sigh

Lingered ami d a cloud of fitful trees

Where cobwebs hung with heavy d rops of dew

Drizzled,as stags fled by

,i n si l ver foams.

Brown otters splashed among the reeds of blue

Lake-waters and th e red be es ’ honeycombs

Beneath the fern s ooze d th ickly golden-br igh t

AS frozen sunrays. Under shatte red scarps

That gloomed l ike i slands i n the sea of l igh t

H igh storm-swep t branches sang i n melod ies

Like loud th robb ing harps.

In the sleepy forest whe re th e bluebel l s

Smouldered d imly th rough th e n igh t,

Diarmu id saw th e l eaves l ike glad green waters

At daybreak flowing i n to l igh t,

And e ! ul tan t from his l ov e upspr i ngi ng

S trode w i t h th e sun upon the h e igh t.

34


Gl i tter ing on the h i l l tops

He saw the sun l i t rai n

D r i ft as around the spi ndl e

A si l ver-th readed ske in,And the brown mist wh i tely breaking

Where arrowy torren ts reached the pla in .

A maddened moon

Leapt i n h is heart and wh irled the cr imson t ide

Of h i s blood un ti l i t sang aloud of battle

Where the querns of dark death gr in d,

Ti l l i t sang and scorned i n pr ide

Love— th e froth-pale blossom of th e boglands

That flutters on the waves of th e wandering wind .

Flower-qu ie t i n the rush-strewn she i l ing

At the dawnt ime Gra inne lay,

Whil e beneath the bi rch-topped roof the sun l igh t

Groped upon its way

And stooped above her sleep ing wh i te body

Wi th a wasp-yel low ray.

The hot breath of th e day awoke h er,

And wear ied of i ts heat

Sh e wandered out by noisy elms

On the cool mossy peat,

Where the shadowed leaves l ike pecking l in ne ts

Nodded around h er feet.

35


She leaned and saw i n pale-grey wate rs,

By twisted hazel boughs,

Her l ips l ike h eavy d roop ing poppies

In a r ich redness d rowse,

Then swal low-l igh tly touched the r ipples

Unti l he r we t l ips were

Burn ing as r i pe ned rowan berr i es

Through the wh i te win ter a i r .

Lazi ly sh e l i ngered

Gazi ng so,

As the sl ender osi ers

Where th e waters flow,

As green twigs of sal ly

Swaying to and fro .

S leepy moths fluttered

In her dark eyes,

And her l ips grew quie ter

Than lul lab ies.

Swaying wi th the reedgrass

Over the stream

Lazi ly sh e l ingered

Crad l ing a dream .

A brown bi rd r ises

Out of th e marshes,

By sal low pools flying

36


So she came,a l i ttl e saddened

,

Bend ing wi th th e sl im breeze

Th rough the elm-misted sunsh i ne

And flowers l ike pools of blue seas .

! ui et as h er brea th sh e gl ided

In th e grass-green shade of trees .

A bi rd sang l ike a ra iny wel l .

Then on a fal len bough

A hurry ing footstep spo ke, and D iarmui d

S tood before he r now,

Sunburn t,p i ne-straigh t

,th e h i l ly breezes

Upon h is l ips and brow.

Once they rose up and wandered wi th th e day

Southward along the broken h i l l s an d str i ps

Of grass that huddled round the stones of grey

Defiles. Th e sul try scarle t of her l ips

Flowered br igh tly i n the sad uncoloured a i r.

S hadowless they wen t,for at th e noon

Th rough clouds of drift i ng ra in in a wh ite glare

Th e wet sun peered out like *

a sunken moon

In darkened waters . On the Slopes,no l igh t

Wind i ly danc ing ; on ly sk i es of l ead

38


And th e blood-brigh t flower. Th ere love would seem

the lust

O f those whose sh ri vel led bod ies are n igh dead

Be i ng bruised wi th years,and youth the c razy d ream

Of thei r bedridden brains ! but a brigh t sun

Draws forth wh i te cloud-foam from the ocean stream

And. swee tness from flowers and men . So they wen t on

Beneath the grey gloom ti l l w i th weary fee t

They rested by hoa rse waters mumbl ing ’mid

The sal ly roots and b i ttere r than slee t

Pel t i ng i n narrow gusts,a sorrow h id

One from the o ther.

With th e e ven ing time

They saw a ti de o f sunl igh t,r is i ng

,surge

Th rough gloomy loughs among the clouds and sweep

In dazzl i ng floods along a grassy gorge

Beneath gaun t rocks or on some wood land steep

Or splashed upon a ra inwo rn gran i te br i nk,

In saffron pools th rough banks of shadow flow

And i nwi l d tortuous tree-torn cascades si nkInto the blackness of the glen s bel ow.

Once i n the green gap of the south there shone

A mist of men and bronze-red spears awh i l e.

And so for lonely leagues th ey journeyed on

Through the greyness of a moun ta inous defi l e

Cobwebbed with s i lence .

39


Wet winds an d seagul l s’ cri es

Arose when to th e western capes they crossed .

A sudden redness flashed wi th i n th e i r eyes

Against th e sunse t seas that w i ld ly tossed

And d renched the S tormfu l c louds i n c r imson spume,

And sucked th e gol den rays from moun tai n peaks

In gleami ng Wh i rl pools down the blackened gloom,

Then redly e bbed i n th e cloud-darkened creeks.

As from th e sudden shadow of a hawk

In the red ski es a tumul t of black wings

Broke on the bl ast,

flying from fairy th ings

Unseen . The sunse t l i ke a scarle t bru ise

Angered . Nigh t slowly sank . In qui e tness h e

Carr ied th e weary g i r l th rough th icken ing dews.

The wh i te wave of her body drowsi ly

Rose,fel l

,to her slow breath ing ; l ul l ed i n a far

Fai n t warmth,hal f sway i ng Il l a d ream

She watched wi th sl eepy eyes a seaward s tar

Wel l ing th rough a long purpl e depth of ai r

In si l ve r d rops ; i t passed i n a swi ft gl eam,

For h e had gath ered her as a s toop ing wind

Closer than n igh t and they had come to where

A gian t group of storm-gnarled crags wi thstood

The star-glut ted skies l ike a black wood

Of battl ed oaks,th e shel v ing roots en twi ned

With berr ied i vy clusters,and they lay

Beneath a star-h i d cl eft of c rouch ing stone

40


On fern leaves. Once she wakened and alone

Amid the heavy n igh t hush far away

She heard the darkened waters of th e deep

Murmu r i ng as a ch il d i n d reamful sl eep .

At the we t windy dawn he clomb the crags

And saw th e grey sea b reaking on grey shores

Through smoky m ists,and b i t terly h e though t

Of the i r l ong wand er ings ! how once h e fough t

Among the bluebel l s an d sunny forest t rees

And came to her at n igh tfal l,of fr i ends he loved

Pursu i ng h im .

So wi th th e morn ings th ey fled

Unti l th e candle of the sun bu rned red

Beh in d black cl iffs. Sometimes i n seaweed caves

They lay and heard th e h issi ng crash of waves

O r murmurous i n the moun tai n glens al l day

The booming of the ocean far away,

S hel l-slumber ing,unquiet as the i r fears.

S omet imes from h i l l tops D iarmuid saw far spea rs

S un-streami ng i n narrow glens. And so they came

South and at n igh t i n to a si l en t lan d .

Under gr im black moun ta ins,s i l ve r lakes

G l i n ted and the forests seemed of gloomy yews.

They crossed a beach where wh i te fog waters crep t

Like moonr ise and beside th e lakesho re slep t

Under black trees.


Nigh t waned .

The saffron dawn

S h immered beyond the d istan t mounta i n peaks,

Rai ny si l ve r dartled on the lakeward creeks

And sea-c louds of pal e yel low floated west

Along the h i l ls . They wakened wi th th e b i rds

In green ish sun l igh t l isten ing to the words

Flu ttered from the leaves above, then rose

And gazed upon the lake . Bes ide a pon d

Of sal l ies D iarmui d cut a glossy wand

And wi th red rowan berr i es ’ t iced th e trout

Basking i n th e shal lows where h i l l streams

Rippled sunn i ly. He drew them out

Through th e swi ft br igh tened ai r i n we t curl ed gl eams .

After wi th crackl i ng twigs th ey k indled fi re

And as i t smouldered palely on the br igh t

S un-coloured moss h e leaned and spoke to her

0 Gra inne l et us c l imb the cool breezed he igh t .”

He looked— across th e s i l ve r shi n i ng lake

And isle ts th i ck w i th grassgreen trees asl eep

L ike th e i r long ol i v e shadows i n th e deep

Upon the moun ta i n forests,wate rfal l s

Unrav el l i ng wh i te sun l igh t from th e crags

Abo v e, furze yel low slopes and far away

B lue m isted summi ts .

42


Yonder,bound ing stags

An tler th e wind uns talked,th e squ i rre ls play

Beneath the red-stemmed p i n es in th rushy glens

And streamlets tr ickl e th rough cool moss.

0 swee t

The fluty blackbi rds,Diarmuid , and the wrens

Flutter and warbl e h ere

Sweeter,from th e heat

To l ie i' green-d immed woo dlands thou and I ,Or

,the last summi t gained

,under th e sea-blue sky

We two,beyond pursu i t

,fore ver free

,our feet

Eagle-h igh

At noo n they rested i n a copse of bi rch

H igh on a moun tain . Through the leaves,cool rays

Of sun l igh t slan ted pas t the sh in ing bronze

Of stems. He clambered down th rough brambl ed ways

And leaned from a rock of i vy

Far be low

Aroun d th e isles of al der w i l d wh i te swans

Li l ie d th e blue waters of th e lake,

And grassy slopes rose from the rush-green shores

In to the yel low wh ins. Past glens of sycamores

And scarle t-berr ied rowans he saw dark p ine

Under the gl i tter ing gran i te an d th e sh ine

Of laky h i l l s far off.

43


O Gra inne,come

With me .

They hastened toward th e moun ta i n topAbove them

,cl imbing sunn i ly

,float ing by

The yel low see thes o f gorse,r i vul e t sprays

And grasses th e l igh t breeze shu ttl ed . Sprung on h igh

He stooped w indl ike,and drew her to a brown ledge

Of ferny rock. B reath less on th e blue edge

Of h eaven they stood enskied,then lay i n soft deep

moss

Under wh i te-purpl e heatherbells,th e i r gaze

Th irst i ng th rough th e sun-d i ssol v ed blueness abov e.

O Gra inne, Gra inne

,wi ld Love

Of my heart,we two are free

,are free

,

He sang,

“ i n th is land of lonely lakes

And lush south val leys. Here no hazy blue

Smoke 0 ’ turf r i ses an d no ch i ldre n wake

The laugh te r of th e rocks. Here,long ago

Among the lake-t rees th e Danaan Len

Godl ike wrough t gleam ing gold amid a flame

Of rai n bows. Before th e years or h im two loverscame

-May be May be — and sang and danced at day

By the laugh ing lakes or clung together passion-sti l l

In th e hushed blue waters th rough the summer noon s

And al l th e n igh t ami d the forests moved

Like fierce joy-th i rsted moons .

44


O f si lence. Al l th e sweet strangeness of her

Has gone from me an d I am l ike th e ai r

Remember i ng d ead wings. O bi tterest lo ve

B rood in g on i ts own love . But 0 that we

Had seen and loved l ike Lovers long ago ;Sel f-found

,each i n the other ’s myste ry.”

He turned and watched her as she lay

There,how th e purple-coloured l ips of heather flowers

T ouch ed he r l issom l imbs langoured with rest

And how her cloud-gold hai r would softly r i se

And fal l,ly ing along he r g irl ish breast.

I t i s too late . I know her u tterly .”

And his heart cr i ed . Is i t too late,too late

B ut as she gazed upon the si l en t skies

Wh i l e the swee t slowness of the sun-hours

Was droop i ng th rough the hot blue day,

Gra inne once heard his vo ice from far away

Murmurously lost

There is an isle

Beyond the red waves of the sunse t where

The foam i s ne ver finned by th e brown prows~Of currachs nor keel s grate the pebbl es wh i le

Men ’s heav ing shouts fly low along the a i r

Like cormoran ts,on ly the sleepy boughs

C luster w ith murmurous musi c an d th e E ver-Young

46


Sway wi th the weari ed fl owers i n col d wh i te joys

Amid an ancien t purpl e l igh t. Immor tal,they

Have lost the i r d reams,the i r d reams.

Th is was a song

Made by a druid on a summer ’s day

From sorrow.

Thou thy beauty gathers the i r lost d reams

Even as lul led waters the green gleams

Of wi l lows,making them more beauti ful .

Thou ! sweetly h uman, dream-strange ye t to be hurt

By a chance nettle,hast known i nal ienabl e tears

And stumbled wi th a noon ’s hunger. Yet,Love

to be

Pi teousl y h uman is swee tes t

Lo by the fie ry spur t

From the p i th of a poor reed the Char ioteers

Have stormed the darkness of the n igh t.”

His words

We re isled i n s i l ence .

Towards th e even ing t ime

Hearing fain t melod ies,th ey knew the bi rds

Were singi ng far below. Down heathe red ways

They wandered . Vague t rees rose th rough a gol den

haze

Of sun l igh t and they saw th e ev en ing lake

47


Gleaming ami d th e l eav es. Then i n a glade

Of grassy dais i es where tal l sycamores

Flut tered the i r yel low leaves upon th e a i r

L ike pal e sun l igh t,D iarmuid swi ftly drew

H is strong arms o ver h er t i l l she was bl i n d

Wi th madder sun l igh t and she cr i ed

As dew

I am sun-th i rsted,sun-anhungered

,me

,

Me,snatc h sunward Time drops l ike a wounded

An d al l my days are burn t in utter l igh t .”

Then as some island hears th e storm ing sea

Murmur far down i n i ts d im hear t,she heard

H im speaki ng

Gra inne, Gra inne

,l ean your wh i te

S lender th roa t back,as i f you were now dead

Among the fal l e n l eaves,for I dare gr ie ve

,

So strange is joy .

”

Then she lay very st i l l

Wi th closed eyes d reaming of th e sweet quie t sloth

Hour by hour of trees. She was unlo th

To move,knowing h im near.

“ And do you sleep

He said,

“ I weary of sorrow .

But she lay th ere

S i len t.

48


“O Gra inne,l ook on me your hai r

S h ines on me wake awake

His vo ice was

sh r i l l

Wi th love and looking up she saw the red

Sunse t beh in d h im and th e shadows of the n igh t.“Gra inne

,my Grainne he murmured

,We are free,

Alone i n green twi l igh t glades. O,Come to me

Like n igh t. Thy love has waked i n me love beyond

lo v e .

As on the starry n igh t of Beltené

A bonfire blazes and lo he igh t speaks to he igh t

In flame after flame,l igh t beyond soaring l igh t.”

But Gra inne,th e wi ld

,the beauti ful

,fled

Up slopes of th ickly clustered fern where red

Sunrays were gl immering th rough black-green gloom

Of oaks and up a br igh tened copse of fi r

Out i nto th e dusk-blue a i r she Sped

Along the moun tain . The wind ran wi th her

And a vo ice cr ie d O stay with us, 0 stay

Lest thou should ’st know of gr ief.” But she

Hastened up the mountai n moor . Black b i rds

Specked the red west. Sh e heard a philibeen

Pipe near lonely waters and st i l l th e wind

Ran wi th her and cried “ Away Away

49


By aged rocks,and tussocks of sun-browned grass

,

‘S ti l l gleams of curlew pools,red-purple heath

Bed immed,she hurr ied th rough a sombre pass

Of cloud-grey cromlechs. Breath l ess from the he igh t

S he gazed down mp ing treetops,far beneath

In to a val ley .

Th rough th e pale blue l igh t,

Beyond,great eagl e crags and cl iffs rose sh eer

From dark green seas of p in ewoods ; a tal l we i r

O f cloudlight. In black larches th e rock-snows

O f cataracts, v iol e t m isted as ra i n bows,Gleamed . Down glades of yel lowed elmtrees

By bluebel l s gl immering th rough russe t fe rns

Moth s floate d wh i tel y la te bi rds— where red

S lep t— gurgled l ike th e hazel shadowed ponds

Rai n-l oud wi th pebbl ed runne ls. Below, past green

Tufted grasses,brambles and brown sl‘oes

S treams flowed th rough sedgy alders far away

In to a lake— a narrow si l v er sh een

Darkened wi th isles of sal lows. Hazes of rose

Trai le d westward,yet. Abo ve the purpl ed grey

Of moun tain summi ts i n th e deeps of blue

The first fa in t stars were gl isten i ng l ike dew.

Gladdened,on the l one ly heigh t

Gra inne l i ngered i n th e gl immer

Of the blue faded l igh t.

50


Above th e hushed val ley

The croon ing p ines were darke r

And round the lakeward moun tain s

Rose the purple shadows of the n igh t.

Grainne,sweetly

In th e gleamy twi l igh t

Sang to th e murmu rous p ines bel ow

How,l ong ago

,

A lonely gi rl a t star-r ise

Waded i n the rock pools

By the san d-gr ey sea,

Ti l l th e dark poet Dedach

Wander ing by th e waters

Saw her l ips were sunset-red

And ever by the rock pools she wai ted

Weep ing bi tterly

Brown seaweed l eft a t ebbt ide

Would I were dead .

O ! So r row,So r row

,Sor row,

He has gone from me.”

Grainne,del i cate ly

,l igh tly

,

Danced down the moss,

So wh i tely

Dandel ions toss.

! oyous,he r s inging

S I


Lingered i n th e pale blue ai r

And D iarmuid hurry i ng on the mounta in

Saw her droop ing

Beneath a lonely tree .

Loud he cr ie d Nigh t fal l s and woodlands darken .

Come,O Grainne

,come to me

But th rough the slender p i nes Sh e faded

Like a gleam of snow.

O Sorrow, Sorrow, Sorrow,Rose th rough th e leav es below

And dark on the h i l l

He heard her vo ice wander i ng down th e val ley

O Sorrow,Sorrow

,Sorrow,

”

And al l the woods were st i l l .

He gazed at the stars

And the drowsed purple moun tains

Then hastened th rough th e dark green shadow

Of the p i ne trees.

S trange fai n t hushes

Rose slowly round h im

And an e lmy breeze

S ighed as waters of day

Far away .

Through the fl i tt i ng p i nes h e hurr ied

Cal l i ng Gra inne,come to me

Nigh t i s h ere and wood lands darken

52

VII

I t is morning of the ne! t day. In the sunlight a

awa its on the height of Ra th Ghra inne. A young

comes to her fi om below . H e speaks laughingly

I saw you, Love , from th e sheepfield that is wh i te

With mush rooms and you l ike an appl e bough

Blossoming by the stonewal l i n th e br igh t

Early sunsh in e .“ It i s sunny now.

c‘ The rai ny seaw ind’

s gone . I t w i l l be fine .

Look there ’s not any c loud but on the brow

Of Beann Gulbain. They ’ l l cl imb there to-day,

And search the anc ien t forest o f black p in e

Where the n igh t i s m i l dewed,for the dead

Body

0 you are we t !

The stepp ing-stones

In the r i ver were sl ippery— They sayThat there were spel ls on h im

,i t was fore tol d

And the bacach that talks at the water ’s edge

Al l n igh t,was pul l i ng up th e muddi ed sedge

In the dawn l igh t as I passed,and he spat out

And began to swing h is hai ry arms and shout

54


That he knew and h e knew,he knew he knew

It was more than a moun ta iny p ig that sl ew

D iarmuid O Du i bne .

”

“When I woke up

I heard two cai l leachs talking from bed to bed

And one muttered ‘ I t was l ike th e n igh t

When we were young gi rls .’ ‘ And our ski n was wh i te

And we ’d be wash ing i t i n th e streams ’ th e other

wheezed .

The shadows were goi ng by al l n igh t they sai d,

And they were si nging, s inging, and a hurt th i ng

Was weep ing somewhere Then one turned and

se ized

Me and cri ed Be 05,young pry.

If I were th ere

“ And I saw poor Grainne i n th e sun l igh t

Wr inkled and ugly. I do not th i nk she slept.

My mother says that she was beaut i ful

Proud,wh i te

,and a queen ’s daugh ter long ago

,

And that they were grea t lovers i n the ol d days

Before she was mar r ied— and l i ved i n h i l ly woods

Unti l they weari ed .

I do no r wan t to grow so ol d l ike he r .

55

O sh i ny Dew

0 l i t tl e wi l d B i r d of the ai r

Youth on ly is wisdom and i t i s love .

56

A CLIFF SONG

Blue star-r ise above th e green wave

And the sun i n yel low flame

When l ike a wh i te seab i rd,O Maeve l

To the clifls you came .

And I,l ike a lonely tree

Upon a wave-wet ledge,

Heard th e w in try cry ing of the sea

As the wind th rough sedge .

You came . On wing so sti l l

No homing b i rd coul d fl i t,

When the moon was wh ite upon the h i l l

And the s tars were l i t.

Autumn I 9 I 6.

57

NOTES

Grainne i s appro ! imately pronounced (Grawn Fi onn (Finn),O i s in (Usheen).! age

$9

I .

27 .

20 .

20 .

29 .

29.

30.

32.

33

34

Almhuin (A lcon) —The H i l l of A l len, on the grea tplai n

,the s i te of Fionn’ s chief rath.

Ruth Ghminne. The Rath of Gra inne, Co rrain, S l i go.B eann Gulbain, a mounta i n i n S l igo, on the borders of

Donegal, now called Benbulb in.

Grianan— a sunny house,room, set apart for women.

! ronounced (green-awn).Knocknerea, a mounta i n cape i n S l igo, haunted by the

s i dhe (shes, the buri al pl ace of ! ueenMaeve .

Cai lleach, an ol d woman, Grainne’s foster nurse.

Cai lins— g i rl s. ! ronounced (col leens).Creels, baskets.Luss, the fo ! glove.Dowth, a great tumulus i n the green valley of the

Boyne. The great stone chambe rs engraven withhie roglyphs

,whe re i n the D ru i ds b rooded and buried

the dead, can s ti ll be v i s i ted through a longdeep passage i n the h i l ls i de. There, around the

Boyne, the sp i ri t of A ongus— the unseen protector

of D i a rmu id— was.Temair, Ta ra of the Kings.The forests

,i n the Gael i c Legend called Doi re dha

B hoth (the wood of the two bothies).S cene. Donegal.The l ak e s of Len, now K i l l a rney. Len was one of

the mysteri ous De Danaans ; and wrought l ikeMala ber or Tubal Cain.

Lovers . Aongus , the I ri sh god of Love .

59

54. B acach— a bl ind man, a! beggar.

60

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