]> Swallows of Allah An electronic edition Patrick Augustine Sheehan Electronic edition compiled by Benjamin Hazard School of History, University College, Cork Private donation First draft 890 CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork
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 Manuscript [Details to follow]. Canon Sheehan on the Internet http://www.canonsheehanremembered.com. Edition Canon P.A. Sheehan, 'Swallows of Allah,' The Irish Monthly, 26/305 (November 1898) 601–602. Canon P.A. Sheehan, 'Swallows of Allah,' in Cithara Mea; Poems (Boston 1900) 195–197. Literature Herman Joseph Heuser, Canon Sheehan of Doneraile: the story of an Irish parish priest as told chiefly by himself in books, personal memoirs, and letters (New York 1917). Arthur Coussens. P. A. Sheehan, zijn leven en zijn werken (Brugge/Bruges 1923). Michael P. Linehan, Canon Sheehan of Doneraile: Priest, Novelist, Man of Letters (Dublin 1952). James O'Brien (ed.), The Collected Letters of Canon Sheehan of Doneraile, 1883–1913 (Wells 2013). James O'Brien, Canon Sheehan of Doneraile 1852–1913: Outlines for a Literary Biography (Wells 2013). [Bibliographical references 205-11.] The edition used in the digital edition Swallows of Allah The Irish Monthly: A Magazine of General Literature Matthew Russell SJ Dublin Irish Jesuit Province November 1898 601–602

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 By Patrick Augustine Sheehan (1852–1913) 1898 The text is in English. One word is in Latin. One word is in Arabic. poetry 19c religious 2014-02-07 Beatrix Färber ed. File parsed and validated; TEI Header updated, wordcount made; SGML and HTML versions created. 2014-01-31 Benjamin Hazard ed. Header created; structural mark-up added; file proofed. 2014-01-24 Benjamin Hazard file capture Text scanned. Swallows of AllahThe name given by the Turkish soldiers to the French Sisters of Charity. Swallows of Allah! unfurl your white wings, Come to us, strangers, o'er the friendless sea, Welcomed by Islam and its chivalry. For bene of all your hallowed minist'rings. Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! hither wing your flight Over the barren and mysterious sea; Where have ye nested? Whither did ye flee? Leaving grey shadows and the winter's night. Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! whilst ye dwelt afar Behind the billows of the broken sea. Your names made songs for Moslem minstrelsy Over the long chibouque and samovar, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! the dusk of Arab eyes Deepened when strained across the steel–rimmed sea For one white feather 'gainst its ebony! The pennant of response to prayers and sighs, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! bearded men have wept, Waiting your advent from the silent sea. Maidens have pierced the minaret's mystery. To watch the realms of the Frankish sept, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! now the royal sun Crests the high cliffs that overhang the sea; The snows are melted, and the shadows flee, The white flowers star the meadows one by one, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! bulbuls sing at night. We hear your voices from the siren sea; The crescent shines above the silvered lea. And all is music in the pale moonlight, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah from the high mosque's tower, Waking the dreams of the too slumbrous sea, Peals the muezzin's voice of victory, — The advent of your mercy and your power, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah, keep your faithful tryst, Here by the shallows of the tideless sea, The Moslem shall not fail in courtesy; We have our Prophet — keep your gentle Christ, Swallows of Allah! Swallows of Allah! beat with buoyant wings The slumbers of the too reluctant sea Come to us! Come to us! lo! we cry for ye! The largess of your woman's minist'rings. Swallows of Allah! P. A. SHEEHAN