That he was his Country's greatest poet so many would agree
And he lived during the famine years and he knew great poverty
And he died in eighteen forty nine just forty six years old
Of malnutrition and consumption or so we have been told.

In his life time his poems were never published outside of Ireland's shore
But the legacy of Mangan will live forever more
He was much more than a fellow born with the gift of rhyme
And his marvellous poems have survived the ravages of time.

The great James Clarence Mangan in his time not seen as great
He was just a homeless pauper one who did not have a mate
One who could speak many languages yet he was a self taught man
And he knew little fame or success in his brief too brief life span.

Those who knew James Clarence Mangan told of one withdrawn and shy
And he never did look healthy never even as a boy
Born in the slums of Dublin and his parents were quite poor
And he never knew what it was like to be financially secure.

His poems the generations that followed him to greatness did inspire
Dark Rosaleen, The woman of three cows and O'Hussey's ode to the Maguire
And a Vision of Connacht in the thirteenth century with the finest poems can compare
There are few to equal Mangan and poets like him were always rare.

He was addicted to opium and he lived such a hard life
And he never fathered children and he never had a wife
But in Ireland he's remembered as an all time literary great
And the poor in one like Mangan have a name to celebrate.

Tweet

Comments on this poem/writing:

Click here to read other Poems by Francis Duggan

Copyright©2017-1999 by Rebecca R. Hammack

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All Rights Reserved.   No part of this website, including all pictures and written words,  may be reproduced or copied in any manner from this website without  permission of the original author of the work.  All poetry and pictures herein remain the sole property of the original author and/or copyright owner.  All poetry on this website has been submitted by the original author of the work. To contact any author of the work please e-mail: dreamer@dreamersreality.com  so the proper person may be notified.