Reverie at Dawn In this and the famous poem “Brightness of Brightness,” O’Rahilly standardised the Vision poem in which the poet sees a vision of Ireland as a young woman who prophesies the return of the Stuarts. One morning before Titan thought of stirring his feet I climbed alone to a hill where the air was kind, And saw a throng of magical girls go by Who had lived to the north in Croghan time out of mind. All over the land from Galway to Cork of the ships It seemed a bright enchanted mist came down, Acorns on oaks and clear cold honey on stones, Fruit upon every tree from root to crown. They lit three candles that shone in the mist like stars On a high hill top in Connello and then were gone, I followed through Thomond the track of the hooded queens And asked them the cause of the zeal of their office at dawn. The tall queen Eevul so bright of countenance said ‘The reason we light three candles on every strand Is to guide the king who will come to us over the sea And make us happy and reign in a fortunate land.’ And then so suddenly did I start from my sleep They seemed to be true, the words that had been so sweet— It was just that my soul was sick and spent with grief One morning before Titan thought of stirring his feet. Egan O’Rahilly Source: O'Connor, Frank (tr); Kings, Lords, & Commons: An Anthology from the Irish; 1962; London; Macmillan & Co; p.103