Vultures

Padraic Colum 1881 (County Longford) – 1972 (Enfield)



FOUL-FEATHERED and scald-necked,
They sit in evil state;
Raw marks upon their breasts
As on men's wearing chains.

Impure, though they may plunge
Into the morning's springs,
And spirit-dulled, though they
Command the heaven's heights.

Angels of foulness, ye,
So fierce against the dead!
Sloth on your muffled wings,
And speed within your eyes!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

17 sec read
380

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXXX XAXX XXAX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 339
Words 56
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4

Padraic Colum

Padraic Colum was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer, playwright, children's author and collector of folklore. more…

All Padraic Colum poems | Padraic Colum Books

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