| Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922. |
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| 176. The Spark |
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| By Joseph Plunkett |
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| BECAUSE I used to shun | |
| Death and the mouth of hell | |
| And count my battles won | |
| If I should see the sun | |
| The blood and smoke dispel. | 5 |
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| Because I used to pray | |
| That living I might see | |
| The dawning light of day | |
| Set me upon my way | |
| And from my fetters free, | 10 |
| Because I used to seek | |
| Your answer to my prayer | |
| And that your soul should speak | |
| For strengthening of the weak | |
| To struggle with despair, | 15 |
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| Now I have seen my shame | |
| That I should thus deny | |
| My soul’s divinest flame, | |
| Now shall I shout your name, | |
| Now shall I seek to die | 20 |
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| By any hands but these | |
| In battle or in flood, | |
| On any lands or seas, | |
| No more shall I spare ease, | |
| No more shall I spare blood | 25 |
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| When I have need to fight | |
| For heaven or for your heart, | |
| Against the powers of light | |
| Or darkness I shall smite | |
| Until their might depart, | 30 |
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| Because I know the spark | |
| Of God has no eclipse, | |
| Now Death and I embark | |
| And sail into the dark | |
| With laughter on our lips. | 35 |
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