Poet's corner - ‘My Country in Darkness’ by Eavan Boland

This edition, I wanted to highlight one of the most influential and famous female Irish poets. ‘My Country in Darkness’ is a poem that reflects a great hardship that faces Ireland that I can greatly relate to and that I think most young people will be able to relate to. ‘My Country in Darkness’ by Eavan BolandAfter the wolves and before the elmsthe bardic order ended in Ireland.Only a few remained to continuea dead art in a dying land:This is a manon the road from Youghal to Cahirmoyle.He has no comfort, no food and no future.He has no fire to recite his friendless measures by.His riddles and flatteries will have no reward.His patrons sheath their swords in Flanders and Madrid.Reader of poems, lover of poetry—in case you thought this was a gentle artfollow this man on a moonless nightto the wretched bed he will have to make:The Gaelic world stretches out under a hawthorn treeand burns in the rain. This is its home,its last frail shelter. All of it—Limerick, the Wild Geese and what went before—falters into cadence before he sleeps:He shuts his eyes. Darkness falls on it.