Thou art my choosing! 
  That with my body, soul, and spirit
  Eternal life I may inherit,
  Thine aid be not refusing.

  In my sore need
  O thou of Anti-Christ the slayer,
  Triumphant victor, to my prayer
  Give heed, O now give heed!

MAELISU’S HYMN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

  O Holy Spirit, hasten to us! 
  Move round about us, in us, through us! 
  All our deadened souls’ desires
  Inflame anew with heavenly fires!

  Yea! let each heart become a hostel
  Of Thy bright Presence Pentecostal,
  Whose power from pestilence and slaughter
  Shall shield us still by land and water.

  From bosom sins, seducing devils,
  From Hell with all its hundred evils,
  For Jesus’ only sake and merit,
  Preserve us, Thou Almighty Spirit!

EVE’S LAMENTATION

(From the Early Irish)

  I am Eve, great Adam’s wife,
  ‘Twas my guilt took Jesus’ life. 
  Since of Heaven I robbed my race,
  On His Cross was my true place.

  In His Paradise, God placed me,
  Then a wicked choice disgraced me. 
  At the counsel of the Devil,
  My pure hand I stained with evil;

  For I put it forth and plucked,
  Then the deadly apple sucked. 
  Long as woman looks on day,
  Shall she walk in folly’s way.

  Winter’s withering icy woe,
  Whelming wave and smothering snow,
  Hell to fright and death to grieve—­
  Had been never, but for Eve!

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

(From the Early Irish)

  Four Sages stood to chant a stave
  Above the proud Earth Conqueror’s grave;
  And all their words were words of candour
  Above the urn of Alexander.

  The first began:  “But yesterday,
  When all in state the Great King lay,
  Myriads around him made their moan,
  To-day he lieth all alone!”

  “But yesterday,” the second sang,
  “O’er Earth his charger’s hoof outrang;
  To-day its outraged soil instead
  Is riding heavy o’er his head!”

  “But yesterday,” the third went on,
  “All Earth was swayed by Philip’s son: 
  To-day, to shroud his calcined bones,
  Seven feet thereof is all he owns!”

  “But yesterday, so liberal he,
  Silver and gold he scattered free;
  To-day,” the last outsighed his thought,
  “His wealth abounds but he is naught!”

  Thus sentence gave these Sages four,
  Above the buried Emperor;
  It was no foolish women’s prate
  That held them thus in high debate.

THE KINGS WHO CAME TO CHRIST

(From the Early Irish)

  Three Kings came to the Babe’s abode,
    With faces that like bright moons glowed,
  From out the learned Eastern world,
    Where o’er wide plains slow streams are curled.