Father Ryan's Poems
By Abram J. Ryan, (Father Ryan)
Introduction:
In preparing this electronic text of Father Ryan's poems,I was struck by the biased nature of the memoir included.While I will not gainsay anyone's right to their beliefs,I believe it is clearly evident from the poems themselvesthat Father Ryan believed strongly in the Southern Cause,and I do not believe his reaction was entirely emotional,as seems to be implied. The Memoir also makes mention ofFather Ryan's poem "Reunited", as evidence of his supportfor the reunification of the States. To be fair to Ryan,I would note that such stanzas as
"The Northern heart and the Southern heart
May beat in peace again;
"But still till time's last day,
Whatever lips may plight,
The blue is blue, but the gray is gray,
Wrong never accords with Right."
in `Sentinel Songs', are much more common in his poems.
I believe it important to notice this, as it demonstratesthat while Ryan loved Peace, he never forsook the Cause.
Regarding his possible dates of birth, I can do no betterthan the Memoir included, but I can at least match placeswith dates, to wit: Hagerstown, Md., on 5 February 1838;or Norfolk, Virginia, sometime in 1838 or 15 August 1839.His full name was Abram Joseph Ryan, and he was the sonof Matthew and Mary (Coughlin) Ryan. He was ordained in 1856and he taught at Niagara, N.Y. and Cape Girardeau, Missouri,before he became a chaplain in the Confederate Army in 1862.He edited several publications, including the "Pacificator",the Catholic weekly "The Star" (New Orleans),and "The Banner of the South" in Augusta, Georgia.He was the pastor of St. Mary's Church in Mobile, Alabamafrom 1870 to 1883. He died at a Franciscan Monasteryat Louisville, Kentucky, on 22 April 1886. He is buried in Mobile.
His most famous poem is "The Conquered Banner",which had its measure inspired by a Gregorian hymn.
Alan R. Light, May, 1996, Birmingham, Alabama.
[Note on text: Italicized words or phrases are marked by tildes (~).
Some obvious errors have been corrected.]
Poems: Patriotic, Religious, Miscellaneous.
By Abram J. Ryan, (Father Ryan).
Containing his posthumous poems.
"All Rests with those who Read. A work or thought
Is what each makes it to himself, and may
Be full of great dark meanings, like the sea,
With shoals of life rushing; or like the air,
Benighted with the wing of the wild dove,
Sweeping miles broad o'er the far southwestern woods
With mighty glimpses of the central light —
Or may be nothing — bodiless, spiritless."
— Festus.
[Based on the 1880 edition, the 1896 edition (New York)from which this was transcribed also includes Ryan's posthumous poems.]
Preface
These verses (which some friends call by the higher title of Poems,to which appellation the author objects) were written at random —off and on, here, there, anywhere — just when the mood came,with lit