BLANNATD. 



This latest grief is all in vain ; 

 Feirchertne of the martial lay 



Shall never wake the song again 

 For red branch knight or lady gay !" 



XVII 



* 



. . 



The bird, in prison long imprest, 



Seeks not her desolated nest, 

 Nor speeds her wing o'er ocean's foam, 

 To rest it on her rocky home, 

 With half the joy that Blannaid knew 

 When from those hated walls she flew : 

 And all her woes are now forgot, 

 And Conree is remembered not^^' o ^ ^ 

 Or if at all, one saddening pain 

 Within her joyous breast remain 

 When memory of th* unburied corse 

 Of him she left, might bring remorse Q*~ 

 For treachery and foul deceit, 

 Which dashed him at his victor's feet, 

 Without a blade to sell his life 

 'Gainst hosts in the unequal strife 

 For this, perchance, if one regret 

 Around her heart might slumber yet, 

 'Tis lingering there, as low and lone 

 As is the solitary moan 

 Which, from the wind-lute's finest string, 

 One sorrowing breath hath power to wring; 

 Whilst loud the joyous numbers float, 

 Unheeded is one wailing note ! 

 XVIII. 



Tis evening, and the autumn sun 

 His shorter course hath almost run ; 

 But quivering yet, his mellow light 

 Sleeps upon Rinchin Beara's height. 

 He sinks ! but not in cloudless blue ; 



For, swelling o'er the darkening sky, ^ 



The clouds, like mountains piled on high, 

 Their gloomy length a shadow threw : 

 The sea, before as smooth as glass, 

 Is roughening as they onward pass ; 

 And though the hour be still and warm, 

 Yet night will see the coming storm. 

 In Ulster's royal court to-night 

 Moves many a lady's footstep light, 



And glances many an eye, 

 Which, though that autumn's sun may sink 

 In wrath on Rinchin B'eara's brink, 



His light may well supply. 

 The evening's banquetting is o'er 

 The guest his goblet crown 'd no more 

 The minstrel hushed awhile his strain 

 To gaze upon the darkening main. 



XXIX. 



Amid that gay and glittering throng 

 Which roamed the mountain's brow along, 



