Classic Poem

Doleful thoughts that weigh on my spirit
have left me in gloom and dejection;
not sleep but wakefulness cometh
when I move to my bed;
my cheeks are grown wizened,
mine eyes not dry for a moment,
because of the news heard from Appin,
which roused us in such alarm:
we are bereaved of Glenure
by spiteful men's violence;
a mournful tale mine is to tell
that thou art stretched in the mould.
Wretched is each of thy kinsfolk
since thy dear body entered
the cramped, narrow, close-jointed coffin,
and the new linen shroud.

That was the beautiful body,
when thou wast in thy pristine vigour,
in form and growth not defective,
handsome, stalwart, trim, hale;
thou wast gentle, serene and pleasant,
noble, humble, benignant,
kind, clannish and friendly,
with no fault to be added thereto;
thou wast full of wisdom and vision,
bold, courageous and valiant;
wherever thou wast wanted for service,
with thee each affair would succeed.
Thy counterpart was the dragon,
or the hawk in the heavens:
who did resemble each other,
if not thou and these?
Cruel is the courier that came;
'tis pity, as it now hath befallen,
thou hadst not avoided the spot
where death overtook thee first.
Up from a gateway in a wall
thou receivedst the wound that galled me,
and support for thee was not nigh thee,
when they surprised thee from behind.
Fallen on thy side, thou wast speechless,
while the spirit from thee was passing,
and thy foaming, red, beautiful blood
was outpouring in spate,
through the act of that stupid madman,
devoid of sense and of judgment,
who bartered his soul for lucre,
and in mercy put not his trust.

A heart without softness or scruple,
unblest, stunted, graceless, had he,
who, without cause, set hand to destroy thee,
through lack of wisdom and wit;
'tis he took evil for counsel —
'tis a wretched affair, this occurrence;
he hath left us in affliction,
and himself an outlaw;
and unquiet though his bed be,
because of his fear of capture,
'tis not for him I am wailing
but for the outcome of the event —
that the able, delightful hero,
who is even now in Ardchattan,
hath been laid to repose
in a place of unwaking sleep.

'Tis thy sleep, enduring for ever,
hath left my spirit so mournful;
often do futile reflections
rush upon me anew;
anguish hath grown heavy upon me,
thy death is more painful than fever —
my splendid, keen, fine foster-brother,
hath been utterly rent.
A thousand curses be on him
who seized his chance and surprised thee,
whose hand released the gun-shot,
when he brought the Spanish gun to the aim.
It would be bright news which would please me,
were it openly heard by all,
that he went to the gallows by a ladder,
till his plight was worse than ours.

Whoever plotted against thee
with evil intent from the outset,
'twas audacious of him to approach thee,
or to wound thee of late;
'twas his purpose to do thee mischief,
without the courage to show his face;
he came silently round a hillock,
and smote thee at ease from thy back.
'Tis my distress it befell that,
at the time that powder flared up,
of thy friends not as many were nigh thee,
as would take vengeance on them —
when so many keen, comely heroes,
who would reck nothing of menace,
would have set Appin ablaze,
if only they had seen thee.

A heavy price we paid in the sacrifice
that our foe hath cut off from us;
though vengeance hath not been exacted,
nets will yet close round the case,
bringing others to degradation,
in reprisal for one dearly beloved,
who lived in the place as a just man,
devoted to truth and fair fame.
'Tis deplorable news for recital
that no toll for thee hath been taken,
nor aught yet come of the matter
that would give satisfaction to us;
but, however long may be the delay,
as surely as I declare it,
that treachery will be requited
before revenge is renounced.

They are powerful clans
that would ably support thee:
the King and the Duke of Argyll,
who would not see thy cause decline;
the lawful Earl of Breadalbane,
foremost to come and efficient,
and there's many an armed man
who would stand stoutly behind him;
MacKay and his henchmen,
with whom would rise stalwarts full virile —
numerous, tall, dashing heroes,
with their hilted backswords;
Lochiel and Clan Cameron,
and a host of famous chieftains;
long ago we heard it narrated
that they had proved true to repute.

Thou didst take charge under mandate
of a part of Strath Lochy,
and 'twas not for the love of riches
or to rob them of their effects,
but to stand up for their just claims —
such was thy regard for those kinsfolk,
whose rightful heir is in exile
when he ought to be at court:
and, although babblers asserted
that it was ever thy purpose
to harass those people,
on cast them adrift forlorn,
the reverse would yet have been noted,
hadst thou enjoyed length of days —
that thou wast resolved to draw to thee
dear friends from every side.

Heart of bounty wast thou,
who didst grow up lordly and comely;
before the judge in Edinburgh
thou didst oft unravel a case.
Woe is me for the state of thy spouse,
young is she left by thee widowed,
grief hath obsessed her completely,
since her able, strong husband expired.
I gazed on a scene that was joyless,
the grave being prepared to receive thee;
sad is each circle that loved thee
since thou hast entered the mould,
and none looketh now for thy rising.
'Tis this hath left me afflicted,
that to-day I am telling thy virtues,
and thou wilt not come to hear my tale.