{"id":1457,"date":"2013-07-13T01:34:56","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=1457"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:34:56","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:34:56","slug":"08-lines-on-ireland-vol-05-collected-poems-volume-05","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/05-collected-poems-volume-05\/08-lines-on-ireland-vol-05-collected-poems-volume-05","title":{"rendered":"-08_Lines on Ireland.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n


\n\t\tLines on <\/font> <\/b><\/p>\n

\tIreland<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

1896<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n\n

After six hundred years did Fate intend
\nHer perfect perseverance thus should end?
\nSo many years she strove, so many years,<\/p>\n

Enduring toil, enduring bitter tears,
\nShe waged religious war, with sword and song<\/p>\n

Insurgent against Fate and numbers, strong
\nTo inflict as to sustain; her weak estate
\nCould not conceal the goddess in her gait;<\/p>\n

Goddess her mood. Therefore that light was she<\/p>\n

In whom races of weaker destiny
\nTheir beauteous image of rebellion saw;<\/p>\n

Treason could not unnerve, violence o\u2019erawe<\/span>\u2014<\/p>\n

A mirror to enslav\u00e8d nations, never
\nO\u2019ercome<\/span>, though in the field defeated ever.
\nO mutability of human merit!
\nHow changed, how fallen from her ancient spirit!<\/p>\n

She that was
\nIreland,
\nIreland now no
\nmore,
\nIn beggar\u2019s weeds behold at England\u2019s
\ndoor<\/p>\n

Neglected sues or at the best returned
\nWith hollow promise, happy if not spurned<\/p>\n

Perforce, she that had yesterday disdained
\nLess than her mighty purpose to have gained.<\/p>\n

Had few short change of seasons puissance then,<\/p>\n

O nurse and mother of heroic men,
\nThy genius to outwear, thy strength well-placed<\/p>\n

And 
\n<\/span>old  <\/span>
\ntraditionary<\/span>
\ncourage, waste
\nThy vehement nature? Nay, not time, but thou<\/p>\n

These ancient praises strov\u2019st<\/span>
\nto disavow.
\nFor \u2019tis<\/span> not foreign force, nor weight of wars,<\/p>\n

Nor treason, nor surprise, nor opposite stars,<\/p>\n

Not all these have enslaved nor can, whate\u2019er<\/span><\/p>\n

Vulgar opinion bruit, nor years impair,
\nRuin discourage, nor disease abate
\nA nation. Men are fathers of their fate;
\nThey dig the prison, they the crown command.<\/p>\n

Yet thine<\/span> own self a
\nlittle understand,
\nUnhappy country, and be wise at length.<\/p>\n

\n <\/span>Page-12<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

An outward weakness doing deeds of strength <\/span><\/p>\n

Amazed
\nthe nations, but a power within <\/span><\/p>\n

Directed,
\nlike effective spirit unseen
\nBehind the mask of trivial forms, a source
\nAnd fund of tranquil and collected force.
\nThis was the sense that made thee royal, blessed <\/span><\/p>\n

With
\nsanction from on high and that impressed <\/span><\/p>\n

Which
\ncould thyself transfigure and infuse <\/span><\/p>\n

Thine<\/span><\/span> action with
\nsuch pride as kings do use.
\n<\/span>But thou to thine<\/span> own self disloyal, hast
\nRenounced the help divine, turning thy past<\/p>\n

To idle legends and fierce tales of blood,<\/p>\n

Mere violent wrath with no propos\u00e8d good.
\nTherefore effective wisdom, skill to bend
\nAll human things to one predestined end
\nRenounce thee. Honest purpose, labour true,<\/p>\n

These dwell not with the self-appointed crew<\/p>\n

Who, having conquered by death’s aid, abuse<\/p>\n

The public ear,
\n\u2014 for seldom men refuse<\/p>\n

Credence, when mediocrity multiplied
\nEquals itself with genius – fools! whose pride<\/p>\n

Absurd the gods permit a little space
\nTo please their souls with laughter, then replace<\/p>\n

In the loud limbo of futilities.
\nHow fallen art thou being ruled by these!<\/p>\n

Ignoble hearts, courageous to effect
\nTheir country\u2019s ruin; such the heavens reject<\/p>\n

For their high agencies and leave exempt
\nOf\u00a0 <\/span>force, mere mouths and vessels of
\ncontempt.
\nThey of thy famous past and nature real
\nUncareful<\/span>, have denied thy rich ideal
\nFor private gains, the burden would not brook<\/p>\n

Of\u00a0 <\/span>that
\nsustaining genius, when it took<\/p>\n

A form of visible power, since it demanded<\/p>\n

All\u00a0 <\/span>meaner
\npassions for its sake disbanded.<\/p>\n

As once against the loud Euphratic<\/span>
\nhost<\/p>\n

The lax Ionians of the Asian coast
\nDrew out their numbers, but not long enduring
\nRigorous hard-hearted toil to the alluring
\nCool shadow of the olives green withdrew;<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tPage-13<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Freedom\u2019s preparators<\/span>
\nthough well they knew <\/span><\/p>\n

Labour exact, discipline, pains well nerved
\nIn the severe unpitying sun, yet swerved
\nFrom their ordeal; Ireland so deceiving <\/span><\/p>\n

The world\u2019s great hope, her temples large relieving <\/span><\/p>\n

Of the too heavy laurel, rather chose
\nMisery, civil battle, triumphant foes
\nThan rational order and divine control. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore her brighter fate and nobler soul <\/span><\/p>\n

Glasnevin<\/span><\/span> with that hardly-honoured bier <\/span><\/p>\n

Received. But the immortal mind austere,
\nBy man rejected, of eternal praise
\nHas won its meed<\/span> and sits with heavenly bays, <\/span><\/p>\n

Not variable breath of favour, crowned
\nOn high. And grieves it not, spirit renowned, <\/span><\/p>\n

Mortal ingratitude though now forgiven,
\nGrieves it not, even on the hills of heaven, <\/span><\/p>\n

After so many mighty toils, defeats <\/span><\/p>\n

So many, cold repulse and vernal heats
\nOf hope, iron endurance throned<\/span> apart
\nIn lonely strength within thy godlike heart, <\/span><\/p>\n

Obloquy
\nfaced, health lost, the goal nigh won, <\/span><\/p>\n

To see at
\nlast thy strenuous work undone?
\nSo falls it ever when a race condemned
\nTo strict and lasting bondage, have contemned <\/span><\/p>\n

Their
\ngreat deliverer, self and ease preferring
\nTo labour\u2019s crown, by their own vileness erring. <\/span><\/p>\n

Thus the uncounselled<\/span> Israelites of old,
\nBinding their mightiest, for their own ease sold, \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Who else
\nhad won them glorious liberty
\nTo his Philistian<\/span> foes, as thine<\/span>
\ndid thee.
\nThou likewise, had thy puissant soul endured
\nWithin its ruined house to stay immured,
\nWith parallel disaster and o\u2019erthrow<\/span>
\nHadst<\/span> daunted and their conjured strength laid low. <\/span><\/p>\n

But time
\nwas adverse. Thus too Heracles
\nIn exile closed by the Olynthian<\/span> seas,
\nNot seeing Thebes nor Dirce<\/span> any more,
\nHis friendless eyelids on an alien shore.
\n<\/span>Yet not unbidden of heaven the men renowned<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tPage-14 <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Have laboured,
\nthough no fruit apparent crowned <\/span><\/p>\n

Nor praise
\ncontemporary touched with leaf<\/span><\/p>\n

Of civic favour, who for joy or grief
\nTo throned<\/span> injustice never bowed the head.
\nThey triumph from the houses of the dead.
\nThou too, high spirit, mighty genius, glass
\nOf patriots, into others\u2019 deeds shalt<\/span> pass
\nWith force and tranquil fortitude thy dower,
\nAn inspiration and a fount of power.
\nNor to thy country only nor thy day
\nArt thou a name and a possession, stay
\nOf loftiest natures, but where\u2019er<\/span> and when
\nIn time\u2019s full ripeness and the date of men
\nAlien oppression maddened has the wise,\u2014
\nFor ever thus preparing Nemesis
\nIn ruling nations unjust power has borne
\nInsolence, injustice, madness, outrage, scorn, <\/span><\/p>\n

Its natural
\nchildren, then, by high disdain <\/span><\/p>\n

And brave
\nexample pushed to meet their pain, <\/span><\/p>\n

The pupils of
\nthy greatness shall appear, <\/span><\/p>\n

Souls regal to
\nthe mould divine most near, <\/span><\/p>\n

And reign, or
\nrise on throne-intending wings, <\/span><\/p>\n

Making thee
\nfather to a line of kings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tCharles
\n\t\t\t\tStewart Parnell<\/a><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t1891<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tO pale and guiding light, now star unsphered,<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tDeliver lately hailed, since by our lords<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tMost feared, most hated, hated because feared,<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tWho smot’st them with an edge surpassing swords!<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tThou too wert then a child of tragic earth,<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tSince vainly filled thy luminous doom of birth. <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tPage – 15<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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