Irish Poets, a poem by James McIntyre

Moore found the ballads of Green Isle
Were oft obscured beneath the soil,
As miner digging in a mine
Finds rubbish 'mong the gold so fine,
So Moore placed dross in the waste basket
And enshrined jewels in casket,

Where all may view each charming gem

In Ireland's grand old diadem.

~

In eastern lands his fame prevails

In wondrous oriental tales,

So full of gems his Lala Rookh,

Hindoos and Brahmins read his book,

And dark eyed Persian girls admire

The beauty of his magic lyre,

Glowing like pearls of great price

Those distant gleams of paradise.

~

He sang of Bryan Borohm's glory,

Renowned in ancient Irish story,

And shows the wide expanded walls

Which once encircled Tara's Halls,

When joyous harp did there resound

And Ireland's greatest king was crowned,

All wars and tumults then did cease,

Ireland did prosper great in peace.

~

He sung of meeting of the waters

And of Ireland's charming daughters,

Great minstrel from his harp both flows,

Ireland's triumphs and her woes,

Canada doth his fame prolong

While she doth sing his great boat song,

And his own countrymen adore

The genial, witty, bright Tom Moore.

James McIntyre called The Cheese Poet, was a Canadian poet. He was born in Forres, Scotland on May 25, 1828 and came to Canada in 1841 at the age of 14. The greatest boost to his fame probably came from a number of his poems being anthologized in the collection Very Bad Poetry, edited by Ross and Kathryn Petras (Vintage, 1997). This included his masterpiece and possibly best-known poem, "Ode on the Mammoth Cheese Weighing Over 7,000 Pounds," written about an actual cheese produced in Ingersoll in 1866 and sent to exhibitions in Toronto, New York, and Britain. An annual poetry contest is held in Ingersoll, Ontario, to honour McIntyre. The contest is sponsored by The Ingersoll Times and the Corporation of the Town of Ingersoll, and includes a cheese-themed poetry competition. McIntyre died on March 31, 1906.

* This poem is found in public domain.