Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Permissions
- Introduction: ‘Slow Tide on Tide of History’: Poetry by Women in Ireland, 1870–1970
- A Note on the Texts
- Elizabeth Varian (1821–1851–1896)
- Watch and Wait
- Never Forsake the Ship
- Under the Bridge
- In the Workhouse
- ‘Give Peace in Our Time, O Lord!’
- Our Common Cause
- My Sisters
- Emily Hickey (1845–1881–1924)
- Katharine Tynan (1858–1885–1931)
- Dora Sigerson Shorter (1866–1893–1918)
- Eva Gore-Booth (1870–1898–1926)
- Emily Lawless (1845–1902–1913)
- Susan L. Mitchell (1866–1906–1926)
- Alice Milligan (1866–1908–1953)
- Winifred M. Letts (1881–1913–1972)
- Eileen Shanahan (1901–[1921]–1979)
- Mary Devenport O'Neill (1879–1929–1967)
- Blanaid Salkeld (1880–1933–1959)
- Sheila Wingfield (1906–1938–1992)
- Freda Laughton (1907–1945–?)
- Rhoda Coghill 1903–1948–2000
- Appendix 1: Irish Women Poets 1870–1970
- Appendix 2: Chronology
- Select Bibliography
- Index of Titles and First Lines
Our Common Cause
from Elizabeth Varian (1821–1851–1896)
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Permissions
- Introduction: ‘Slow Tide on Tide of History’: Poetry by Women in Ireland, 1870–1970
- A Note on the Texts
- Elizabeth Varian (1821–1851–1896)
- Watch and Wait
- Never Forsake the Ship
- Under the Bridge
- In the Workhouse
- ‘Give Peace in Our Time, O Lord!’
- Our Common Cause
- My Sisters
- Emily Hickey (1845–1881–1924)
- Katharine Tynan (1858–1885–1931)
- Dora Sigerson Shorter (1866–1893–1918)
- Eva Gore-Booth (1870–1898–1926)
- Emily Lawless (1845–1902–1913)
- Susan L. Mitchell (1866–1906–1926)
- Alice Milligan (1866–1908–1953)
- Winifred M. Letts (1881–1913–1972)
- Eileen Shanahan (1901–[1921]–1979)
- Mary Devenport O'Neill (1879–1929–1967)
- Blanaid Salkeld (1880–1933–1959)
- Sheila Wingfield (1906–1938–1992)
- Freda Laughton (1907–1945–?)
- Rhoda Coghill 1903–1948–2000
- Appendix 1: Irish Women Poets 1870–1970
- Appendix 2: Chronology
- Select Bibliography
- Index of Titles and First Lines
Summary
Furl your proud banners, sheathe the naked brand,
Curb angry thought, and bridle bigot rage;
A truce has been proclaimed—we meet at last
On common ground, by different paths attained.
Had we but learned the lessons conned to–day,
In years gone by, the darkened page that stains
Our country's lore had been unwritten still.
Had we but known the story of your wrongs,
The hand that flung defiance to the foe,
And cast the iron gauntlet in your face,
Had sought instead the kindly clasp of love.
We dreamed not that the flash that struck the oak,
Scathed with its withering blight the beechen tree!
Estranged by cruel wrong, that deadliest wrong
That strives to rend the bond of brotherhood,
How must our puny strifes, our paltry feuds,
Our weak, fantastic broils, and baseless wrath,
Have won derision from a mocking world.
Quarrelling like children o'er a fragile toy,
Wrangling o'er gilded baubles, painted lures,
Whilst tyranny our common birthright filched.
Oh! let the future then redeem the past,
Brave deeds may yet be done, aye, braver deeds
Than flinging insult in a brother's face,
Or battling for the hues of flag or flower!
The emerald stem sustains the lily's crown,
And they who part them crush the life from both!
- Type
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- Information
- Poetry by Women in IrelandA Critical Anthology 1870–1970, pp. 67 - 68Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2012