Sunday, October 23, 2005

THE AUTHER OF THIS IS OSSIAN,
THE SON OF FINN (FOX)

(This is in Honor of my 'Brother' Fox)

'Twas yesterday week I last saw Finn,
Ne'er did I feel six days so long;
Teige's daughter's son, a powerful king;
My teacher, my luck, my mind, and my light,
Both poet and chief, as brave as a king,
Finn, chief of the Feine, lord of all lands,
Leviathan at sea, as great on land,
Hawk of the air, foremost in arts,
Courteous, just, a rider bold,
Of vigorous deeds, the first in song,
A righteous judge, firm his rule,
Polished his mein, who knew but victory.
Who is like him in fight or song ?
Resists the foe in house or field,
Marble his skin, the rose his cheek,
Blue was his eye, his hair like gold,
All men's trust, of noble mind.
Of ready deeds, to women mild,
A giant he, the field's delight,
Best polished spears, no wood like their shafts.
Rich was the king, his great green bottle
Full of sharp wine, of substance rich.
Excellent he, of noble form,
His people's head, his step so firm,
Who often warred, in beauteous Banva,
There thirty battles he bravely fought.
With miser's mind from none withheld,
Anything false his lips ne'er spoke.
He never grudged, no, never, Finn;
The sun ne'er saw king who him excelled,
The monsters in lakes, the serpent by land.

In Erin of saints, the hero slew.
Ne'er could I tell, though always I lived,
Ne'er could I tell the third of his praise.
But sad am I now, after Finn of the Feinn;
Away with the chief, my joy is all fled.
No friends 'mong the great, no courtesy;
No gold, no queen, no princes and chiefs;
Sad am I now, our head ta'en away !
I'm a shaking tree, my leaves all gone;
An empty nut, a reinless horse.
Sad, sad am I, a feeble kern,
Ossian I, the son of Finn, strengthless indeed.
When Finn did live all things were mine;
Seven sides had the house of Cumhal's son,
Seven score shields on every side;
Fifty robes of wool around the king;
Fifty warriors filled the robes.
Ten bright cups for drink in his hall,
Ten blue flagons, ten horns of gold.
A noble house was that of Finn.
No grudge nor lust, babbling nor sham;
No man despised among the Feinn;
The first himself, all else like him.
Finn was our chief, easy's his praise;
Noblest of kings, Finn ne'er refused
To any man, howe'er unknown;
Ne'er from his house sent those who came.
Good man was Finn, good man was he;
No gifts e'er given like his so free.
'Twas yesterday week.

4 comments:

Paul said...

So sorry to hear about your friend.

My rare degenerative illness has put me through 12 years and counting of experiences with the lack of caring on the part of many in the medical and insurance industries, as well as anyone able to take advantage of my situation for all the money they can take me for.

It hasn't affected my faith or my essential peace between me and life itself; but these sorts of experiences do impact our feeling for other human beings, our level of confidence and trust.

Hope this will be an isolated albeit terrible event in your experience. My own impression of humanity has lowered because of the endless examples of greed and ego I've experienced as someone who's easy to take advantage of. I do realize how unusual my condition is though, and that my perspective on people may be more jaded than it ought to be.

Ever read "In Memorium" by Tennyson? (On the sudden death of his friend.)

EarthCitizen #23 said...

So many things are pounding the mind right now, and I do love Tennyson. For pagans, this is the time of the thinning of the 'veil' so parts of the poem are succient and true also. Thanks for the thought Paul, We must all strive to be more kind to each other, and people such as you give me renewed hope..... Here is the ending of his great eulogy to his friend, which was the part I recalled when I heard of Fox.

""O life as futile, then, as frail!
O for thy voice to soothe and bless!
What hope of answer, or redress?
Behind the veil, behind the veil.""

Anonymous said...

It is always a difficult time when one of the threads in the tapestry of our life becomes frayed and broken. 'Words' of sympathy are never really enough. I can only extend a metaphorical hand. Grip it and let the pain in your heart flow outwards and away - then keep weaving your tapestry. It is a valuable asset in a hostile world.

EarthCitizen #23 said...

David, if you happen to come back and read this, Know that I like metaphoric hands,, sometimes that is all we have to grasp. My tapestry. LOL Funny you use that word, I am weaving, but not sure anyone sees the pattern but me sometimes, but I still put it out there for the world to view, and comment. Thanks for your heartfelt words, they mean alot right now.