The Book of Irish Ballads


THE CITY OF GOLD.

[BY ANONYMOUS.]

- Proofing in Progress -

[This is another ballad on the beautiful fable of a phantom island in the Atlantic.]
Years onward have swept,
  Aye!  long ages hoave rolled--
Since the billows first slept
  O'er the City of Gold!

'Neath its eddy of white
  Where the green wave is swelling,
In their halls of delight
  Are the fairy tribes dwelling.

And but seldom the eye
  Of a mortal may scan,
Where those palaces high
  Rise unaided by man.

Yet, at times the waves sever,
  And then you may view
The yellow walls ever
  'Neath the ocean's deep blue.

But I warn thee, O man!
  Never seek to behold,
Where the crystal streams ran
  In the City of Gold!

Like a beauty with guile,
  When some young knight has found her,
There is death in her smile,
  And dark ruin around her!

Like a Poet's first dream
  In his longings for glory;
A dagger whose gleam
  With the life-blood is gory.

Like wishes possessed,
  And for which we have panted,
When we find us unblest,
  Tho' our prayers have been granted.

Like ought that's forbidden
  Weak man to behold,
Death and sorrow are hid in
  The City of Gold.

Rash youth!  dost thou view it,
  The ransom thou'lt pay,
Alas!  thou must rue it,
  Death takes thee to-day!

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MacCarthy, Denis Florence (1817-1882), ed. The Book of Irish Ballads. Dublin: James Duffy, 1869.

The above published source is public domain under the terms of
Title 17, United States Code, Section 304(b).
The transcriber does not claim to know the copyright status of this publication outside of the United States.

Published in 1998 by Dennis McCarthy
No Rights Reserved! I release this file to the public domain.
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