| Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922. |
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| 134. This Heritage to the Race of Kings |
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| By Joseph Plunkett |
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| THIS heritage to the race of kings, | |
| Their children and their children’s seed | |
| Have wrought their prophecies in deed | |
| Of terrible and splendid things. | |
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| The hands that fought, the hearts that broke | 5 |
| In old immortal tragedies, | |
| These have not failed beneath the skies, | |
| Their children’s heads refuse the yoke. | |
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| And still their hands shall guard the sod | |
| That holds their father’s funeral urn, | 10 |
| Still shall their hearts volcanic burn | |
| With anger of the sons of God. | |
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| No alien sword shall earn as wage | |
| The entail of their blood and tears, | |
| No shameful price for peaceful years | 15 |
| Shall ever part this heritage. | |
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