ST. FRANCIS AND THE WOLF THIS wolf for many a day Had scourged and trodden down Dragging a mildewed bone, Dust on his threadbare gown, This wolf laid bare his teeth, And growling low there stood; His lips were black with blood, His eyes were fires of death. So for a spring crouched he; But the Saint raised his head'Peace, Brother Wolf,' he said, 'God made both thee and me.' And with the Cross signed him : 'Come nearer, in Christ's Name,' Trotting against his side, And licked the tender hand That with soft touch and bland Caressed his wicked hide. 'Brother,' the Saint said then, Thou hast slain of thine own will Not only beasts, but men. 'And God is wroth with thee: If thou wilt not repent, His anger shall be sent To smite thee terribly. 'See, all men hate thy name, And with it mothers fright The froward child by night. Great are thy sin and shame. 'All true dogs thee pursue; Thou shouldst hang high in air Hadst thou thy lawful due. 'Yet, seeing His hands have made Even thee, thou wicked one I bring no malison, But blessing bring instead. 'And I will purchase peace 'Say, wilt thou have it so?' Our Father took the paw That were a sight to see: For he was praying yet, When they came through the town, A sweet discourse was this; He prayed them that they make Peace, for the Lord Christ's sake, With this poor wolf of His ; And told them of their sins, How each was deadlier far Afterwards some came near, Took the beast's paw and shook, And answered his sad look With words of honest cheer. Our Father, ere he went, Bade that each one should leave For his poor penitent. And so, three years or more, And grew more grey and old, The women, soft of heart, Men grew of equal mind, The very dogs, 'twas said, But when three years were gone You may count each whitening bone. And then it came to pass All gently of him spake, For Francis his dear sake, Whose Brother Wolf this was. ROSE KAVANAGH BORN at Killadroy, County Tyrone, on June 23, 1859, and died of consumption on February 26, 1891. She was a contributor of poems and stories to the Irish papers, &c., and a bright future was predicted for her. Her early death caused widespread regret among readers of Irish literature, and a deep sense of loss to the personal friends to whom her sweet and noble character had endeared her. A collected edition of her poems has been published in Dublin, ST. MICHAN'S CHURCHYARD INSIDE the city's throbbing heart From life's hard highway, life's loud mart. Each Dublin lane and street and square The sound stole soft as whispered prayer. A little, lonely, green graveyard, While other sunbeams went and came His land must write with Freedom's flame.1 The slender elm above that stone, Its summer wreath of leaves had thrown A robin the bare boughs among, And quiet heart, and bird and tree, But full of balm and soothing sweet, Each crowded street and thoroughfare Was echoing round it—yet in there Referring to the grave of Robert Emmet. |