Page:Dreams and Images.djvu/131

Nay, more! The very King of Kings
  Was with you, coming to His own:
They thrust Him forth to lowliest things;
  The poor, meek beasts of toil alone
Stood by, when came to piteous birth
    The God of all the earth.

And she, our Mother Ireland, knows
  Insult, and infamies of wrong:
Her innocent children clad with woes,
  Her weakness trampled by the strong:
And still upon her Holy Land
    Her pitiless foemen stand.

From Manger unto Cross and Crown
  Went Christ: and Mother Mary passed
Through Seven Sorrows, and sat down
  Upon the Angel Throne at last.
Thence, Mary! to thine own Child pray,
    For Ireland's hope this day!

She wanders amid winter still,
  The dew of tears is on her face:
Her wounded heart takes yet its fill
  Of desolation and disgrace.
God still is God! And through God she
    Foreknows her joy to be.

The snows shall perish at the spring,
  The flowers pour fragrance round her feet:
Ah, Jesus! Mary! Joseph! bring
  This mercy from the Mercy Seat!
Send it, sweet King of Glory, born
    Humbly on Christmas Morn!