The Coral Island (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    His arms were round a chest of oaken wood,
        It was clamped with brass and iron studs, and seemed
    An awful weight.    After a while he stood
        And I stole near to him., His white eyes gleamed
    As he peeped secretly about; he laid
        The oaken chest upon the ground, then drew
    A great knife from his belt, and stuck the blade
        Into the ground and dug.    The clay soon flew
    In all directions underneath a tree,
        And when the hole was deep he put the box
    Down there, and threw the clay back cunningly,
        Stamping the ground quite flat; then like a fox
    He crept among the trees....    I went next day
    To dig the treasure up, but I lost my way.

James Stephens

James Stephens was an Irish novelist and poet, whose literary output includes many retellings of Irish myths and fairy tales. He was born on February 9, 1880, and passed away on December 26, 1950. Notable works include 'The Crock of Gold' and 'The Demi-Gods'. Stephens also wrote several well-regarded collections of poetry, including 'The Hill of Vision' and 'Insurrections'. His work is characterized by a blend of myth, fantasy, and modernism, capturing the spirit and culture of Ireland.

James Stephens

Mary Ruane

James Stephens, Simple Poetry

Breakfast Time (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

James Stephens, Simple Poetry

The Weavers

James Stephens, Simple Poetry

The County Mayo

James Stephens, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

The Apple Tree (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    I was hiding in the crooked apple tree,
        Scouting for Indians, when a man came;
    I thought it was an Indian, for he
        Was running like the wind., There was a flame
    Of sunlight on his hand as he drew near,
        And then I saw a knife gripped in his fist.
    He panted like a horse; his eyes were queer,
        Wide-open, staring frightfully, and, hist!
    His mouth stared open like another eye,
        And all his hair was matted down with sweat.
    I crouched among the leaves for fear he'd spy
        Where I was hiding, so he did not get
    His awful eyes on me, but like the wind
    He fled as if he heard something behind.

James Stephens

In The Orchard (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    There was a giant by the Orchard Wall
        Peeping about on this side and on that,
    And feeling in the trees: he was as tall
        As the big apple tree, and twice as fat:
    His beard was long, and bristly-black, and there
    Were leaves and bits of grass stuck in his hair.

    He held a great big club in his right hand,
        And with the other felt in every tree
    For something that he wanted.    You could stand
        Beside him and not reach up to his knee
    So mighty big he was, I feared he would
    Turn round, and trample down to where I stood.

    I tried to get away, but, as I slid
        Under a bush, he saw me, and he bent
    Far down and said, "Where is the Princess hid?"
        I pointed to a place, and off h...

James Stephens

Behind The Hill (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    Behind the hill I met a man in green
        Who asked me if my mother had gone out?
    I said she had.    He asked me had I seen
        His castle where the people sing and shout
    From dawn to dark, and told me that he had
        A crock of gold inside a hollow tree,
    And I could have it., I wanted money bad
        To buy a sword with, and I thought that he
    Would keep his solemn word; so, off we went.
        He said he had a pound hid in the crock,
    And owned the castle too, and paid no rent
        To any one, and that you had to knock
    Five hundred times.    I asked, "Who reckoned up?"
    And he said, "You insulting little pup!"

James Stephens

Check (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    The night was creeping on the ground;
    She crept and did not make a sound
    Until she reached the tree, and then
    She covered it, and stole again
    Along the grass beside the wall.

    I heard the rustle of her shawl
    As she threw blackness everywhere
    Upon the sky and ground and air,
    And in the room where I was hid:
    But no matter what she did
    To everything that was without,
    She could not put my candle out.

    So I stared at the night, and she
    Stared back solemnly at me.

James Stephens

What The Snake Saw (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    A little girl and a big ugly man
        Went down the road.    The girl was crying
    And asking to go home, but when she ran
        He hit her on the head and sent her flying,
    And called her a young imp, and said he'd break
        Her neck unless she went with him, and then
    He smacked her on the cheek., I was a snake
        At that time crawling through a robber's den,
    And diamonds were sticking to my tongue,
        (That's the best dodge), but when I saw the way
    He beat the little girl I up and flung
        A stone at him.    My aim was bad that day
    Because I hit the girl ... and she did sing!
    But he jumped round and cursed like anything.

James Stephens

The Secret (The Adventures Of Seumas Beg)

    I was frightened, for a wind
        Crept along the grass to say
    Something that was in my mind
        Yesterday,

    Something that I did not know
        Could be found out by the wind,
    I had buried it so low
        In my mind.

James Stephens