The Elleree

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Title:     The Elleree
Author: Juliana Horatia Ewing [More Titles by Ewing]

[1] A SONG OF SECOND SIGHT.

Elleree! O Elleree!
Seeing what none else may see,
Dost thou see the man in grey?
Dost thou hear the night hounds bay?
Elleree! O Elleree!
Seventh son of seventh son,
All thy thread of life is spun,
Thy little race is nearly run,
And death awaits for thee!

Elleree! O Elleree!
Coronach shall wail for thee;
Get thee shrived and get thee blest,
Get thee ready for thy rest,
Elleree! O Elleree!
That thou owest quickly give,
What thou ownest thou must leave,
And those thou lovest best shall grieve,
But all in vain for thee!

"Bodach Glas!"[2] the chieftain said,
"All my debts but one are paid,
All I love have long been dead,
All my hopes on Heaven are stay'd,
Death to me can bring no dole;"
Thus the Elleree replied;--
But with ebbing of the tide
As sinks the setting sun he died;--
May Christ receive his soul!

 

[Footnote 1: "Elleree" is the name of one who has the gift of second sight.]

[Footnote 2: "Bodach Glas," the Man in Grey, appears to a Highland family with the gift of second sight, presaging death.]

[The end]
Juliana Horatia Ewing's poem: Elleree

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