Ennisfall Poem by Mary Anne Browne

When last I took a sad farewell
Of thee-my native Ennisfall,
The cold pale moon-light softly fell
On the grey turrets of thy hall.

Faded away were those sweet flowers
That once around thee used to blow,
And on thy wither'd leafless bowers
There hung pure wreaths of Winter's snow.

But tho' without thee all was dead,
There were warm hearts within thee then,-
Hearts that around blest influence shed-
Forms I must never see again.

And it was hard from them to part,
To wander on a foreign shore-
To leave those dearest to my heart,
Perhaps to meet them never more

But tho' I wander'd forth alone,
And though thou wert no longer fair,
Bright hopes around my heart were thrown
That sweetly bloom'd and flourish'd there.

It was before Affliction's storm
Had quench'd in tears their living light,
When Youth's affections all were warm,
And Life appear'd all fair - all bright.

'Twas then I left thee, Ennisfall,
While rainbow Hope before me shone ; -
I am return'd at last-and all
The friends I Iov'd are past and gone.

'Twas on a clear cold winter's night,
I wept for thee my parting tear ;-
The summer round thee now is bright,
And yet thou art not half so dear.

For they are gone whose lov'd smile threw
A beauty o'er the darkest scene,-
And I am left alone to view,
With vacant eye, thy bowers of green.

Thy flowers-thy leaves are nought to me ;
Thy wreath is dead around my heart ;-
I little care for thine and thee,
However fair and bright thou art.

Thy flow'rets, by the winter chill'd,
Bloom'd when fair Spring resum'd her reign ; -
My hope, by disappointment kill'd,
Can never bud and smile again.