Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1871 to 1900 > Gaelic bards, and original poems

ALEXANDER MACDONALD.
Where rain charged clouds on thick squalls wandering
Loomed and towered.
Up they raised the speckled sails though
Cloud-like light,
And stretched them on the mighty halyards,
Tense and tight.
High on the mast so tall and stately—
Dark-red in hue—
They set them firmly, set them surely,
Set them true.
Round the iron pegs the ropes ran,
Each its right ring through ;
Thus having ranged the tackle rarely,
Well and carefully.
Every man sat waiting bravely,
Where he ought to be;
For now the airy windows opened,
And from spots of bluish gray ;
Let loose the keen and crabbed wild winds—
A fierce band were they.
And then his dark grey cloak the ocean
Round him drew—
Dusky, livid, ruffled, whirling,
Round, at first it flew;
Till up he swell’d to mountains, or to glens,
Dishevelled, rough, sank down—
And the kicking, tossing waters
All in hills had grown ;
Its blue depth opening in huge maws,
Wild and devouring,
Down which clasped in deadly struggles
Fierce, strong waves were pouring.
It took a man to look the storm-winds
Right in the face—
As they lit up the sparkling spray on every surge hill
In their fiery race.