And meteors red

Flashed through the sky

As some spirit fled

From its home on high,

To play 'mid bowers
Of moonlight flowers,
Until morning came
With its slanting beam,
When he'd soar away
To the new-born day.

II.

I knew he'd die! For the Banshee's song

All the whole night long Was heard from the bawn, And its wailing cry Only ceased with the dawn; Then the owl flew by

With its mournful scream

From the early beam,
And the measured stroke
Of the death-watch spoke
Weak, but sadly clear
To the sick man's ear.

III.

I knew he'd die!

For the Fetch was seen
In the green boreen

LISTEN to the fairies singing

Yonder in the rath;

Oh, how sweet their notes are ringing Down the haunted path.

II.

Do you hear soft voices calling

Someone far away,

While the midnight dews are falling

On the elfin spray.

III.

'Round us everywhere there's wailing: 'Tis no place to be; Spirits through the night are sailing, Though we cannot see.

IV.

In the hazel glen there's sighing
On the moonlight air;

'Tis the Fallen Angels crying,
Crying out their prayer.

No. 24.

THE BANSHEE'S SONG.

I.

COME away, the morn is breaking,
Come away before 'tis day,
Nothing here is worth thy taking,
Come away, come away!

Why should there be weeping, wailing,
Why should there be sighs and tears?

Come away! they're unavailing,

Come to heaven's happy spheres !

II.

Come away, the moonlight's sleeping
Brightly on each flower and spray,

'Tis the spirits' hour for keeping
Watch before the break of day.

Voices on the air are speaking,

Come be not afraid to die;

Night is past, the dawn is breaking,

The bright vales of heaven are nigh!

III.

Come away, thy angel's bringing
Spirits bright to guard thy way,
Listen, don't you hear them singing
In the clouds up far away

?

They will lead thee to bright bowers

Where the lov'd ones ever pray;

Why delay those glorious hours?
Sister spirit, come away.

No. 25.

TO ERIN.

LET me weave a chaplet now,
Erin, for thy glorious brow,

Cull them from the ruined shrine
Where the ivy tendrils twine;
From the long-deserted hall,
Pluck them from the ruined wall,
Gather every flower that grew
In the midnight moonlight dew;
From the graves of that bright band
Who died for love of fatherland;

Everyone that o'er us cast
Visions of the painful past,
And engraves upon the heart

What thou wert and what thou art!
Erin!, fairest spot on earth,
Oh! remember what thou wert,
Ere the Norman stranger came
To malign thy sainted name,
And with bloody spear and brand
To enslave our lovely land;
Or, with false, delusive smile,
Plunder our confiding isle;
Since Fitzstephen came to aid
The licentious renegade,
And with rude, marauding host
Landed on the Wexford coast,
And erected on the side
Of the Slaney's silver tide,
The first keep of Norman power,
Ferry Carrig's feudal tower ;-
Oh! since the destruction tore
From each wounded, suffering pore
All those lov'd and holy things

From which a nation's greatness springs.
Thou hast seen thy princes kneel
While they kissed the tyrant's heel,
Reeking with the patriot blood
Of the dauntless few who stood
Firm and fast through weal or woe,
Who in death still aimed a blow