Canada And Other Poems Part 5

These latter gaz'd on fertile fields, and saw, The waving grain, where stood the forest tree, Where prowl'd the bear; or wolf, with hungry maw, Howl'd in the settlers' ears so dismally, That children crouch'd near to their mother's knee.

They saw, instead of plain, bark-roof'd abode, A mansion wide, the scene of youthful glee, And happy Age, now resting on his road, To pay the debt, his sinning kind so long hath ow'd.

The organ or piano sounds its tone, Where late in darkness cried the whip-poor-will, Or gloomy owl's to whoo! to whoo! alone, Came from the glen, or darkly wooded hill,-- These sounds, untaught, and unimprov'd in skill.

All round, where'er they look, they see a change, By rolling lake, by river, mount or rill; Wherever feet may walk, or eyes may range, There is a transformation pleasing, new and strange.

Schools, churches, built in costly, solid style, Proclaim the fact that here a higher life Is liv'd than that of seeking all the while For wealth, and pow'r, amid ign.o.ble strife, Degrading unto husband, son or wife.

The scholar's light, and blest religion's smile Enn.o.bles, soothes and lends a joy to life-- A pow'r, which counteracts the trickster's wile And blunts the edge of slander undeserv'd and vile.

From where the fierce Atlantic waters rage, Unto the mild Pacific's fertile sh.o.r.e, Small villages to cities rise and wage A steady war; but not a war of gore-- A friendly rivalry exists, no more, Save in the far North-West, where savage clan Ungrateful rise, and make a serious sore, Whose pains increas'd, as eastward far it ran, And plac'd the British race beneath the Frenchman's ban.

But quickly, let us hope, the time may come, When peacefully the British flag shall wave, And when the rebels' terrorizing drum Shall be as still as Kiel's rebel grave, O'er the wide land, whose sides two oceans lave; When demagogues of party shall retire, Or curb their selfish zeal, their land to save From factious feuds and savage rebel fire.

And all that tends to raise the patriot's scorn and ire.

From ocean unto ocean runs a band, A double band of hard and gleaming steel; It binds in one this fertile, mighty land, In bonds which all should recognize and feel, If anxious to promote their country's weal.

A bond which Nature's sympathetic law Should fasten on our hearts with solid seal, Which factious feuds should ne'er asunder draw, Nor wily traitors cut, by selfish treason's saw.

The strange, stupendous, magic power of steam, In works, is great as fam'd Aladdin's ring, It carries men o'er miles of land and stream, And maketh loom and forge, with labour sing, And o'er the land, a busy air doth fling.

That fluid, too, that none can well define, In active life hath wrought a wondrous thing.

It speeds our words with lightning flash or sign, And maketh glorious light from midnight's darkness s.h.i.+ne.

Then to our country's future we may gaze With gladden'd eyes, and hearts with hope aglow, That our young country still its head will raise, And stand 'mid nations, in the foremost row, High honour'd there, and honour'd not for show-- For solid worth, and lasting pow'r and fame Will be her portion, if her footsteps go In duty's path, and if the ruddy flame Of honor s.h.i.+nes within, and keeps away all shame.

YOUTHFUL FANCIES.

The morning of a gladsome day in spring Had scarce its freshness brought to weary men, When, o'er the meadows wet, a boy did sing, And whistled o'er a tune, and carroll'd-it, again, In youthful happiness unconscious then Of aught which time might bring, of pain or woe, But careless, pitching stones in bog or fen, It seem'd as if he buried there, also, All worldly cares, so blithely did he onward go.

And yet he was no careless, heedless boy, Who thought but of the present time alone.

Of future years he thought, but with such joy, His thoughts but pleasure gave, nor caused a groan From out the breast that claim'd them as its own; His thoughts were of the future, fair and bright, And fresh from his unburden'd heart, alone, Untarnish'd by the hard and glaring light, By which he yet might see with such a diff'rent sight.

A picture of the blissful future, he Had gaily painted in his youthful mind, And thought no color there too bright to be An image of his share from fortune kind, Which she, in future years, would give so free, To him, the lucky sailor on life's sea.

He thought of honor, happiness and fame, As he went gaily o'er the dewy lea, And to his mind no thought of failure came, To win a prize of worth, in life's tremendous game.

He heard his parents, brothers, sisters, all, With pride and fondness, speak his honor'd name, And listen'd, while a nation's mighty call Invited him to honor and to fame, And crowds his praises shout, with loud acclaim; He saw in wealthy town his mansion wide, And in the country view'd his fields, the same, Until, in rapture, he had almost cried, "In happiness and wealth all others are outvied."

He saw a lovely maiden by his side, Who soon with him his favor'd lot would share, He saw her upward glance of joy and pride, As to his eyes she rais'd her face so fair, So proudly glad that he, her lord, was there.

And all unconscious of her own sweet grace, But, confident in his protecting care, She gave him first within her mind the place, And raised him high above all others of his race.

And now, how joyful rings the marriage bell, Upon the brightest morn in his career.

He proudly hears the mighty organ swell, While orange buds, and bridal robes, appear, And people stop, the merry notes to hear.

And now the organ peals its parting strain, And, issuing forth, they hear a stirring cheer, While, crowds surround the stately marriage train, To cheer him and his bride, and cheer them once again.

These are the thoughts that fill his boyish mind, And agitate and fire his youthful breast, Oh, why should fortune oft' be so unkind, And real life appear in sombre colors drest, And dash to earth bright hopes, and give so much unrest?

Oh, why should boyish hopes, and maiden's dreams Fail, sadly fail, to stand the crucial test?

Say, why should all the brightness of man's schemes Full often fade away, like earth's forgotten themes?

Why do you ask, O sad inquirer? How Can things like that be known to mortal ken?

Suffice it, that it suits the mortal Now, And leads our thoughts to the eternal Then, When darkness shall be light, to ransom'd men, When dreams of bliss, with glad fruition crown'd, And happiness, untold by prophet's pen, Shall fill the hearts of those who sought and found That peace, which lighted up, and cheer'd life's weary round.

HAPPINESS.

Fair Happiness, I've courted thee, And used each cunning art and wile, Which lovers use with maidens coy, To win one tender glance or smile.

Thou hast been coy as any maid, So lofty, distant, stern and cold, And guarded from a touch of mine, As miser guards his precious gold.

To win a smile from thee, did seem A painful, fruitless thing to try, Thy scornful, thin and cruel lips, No pity gave thy steely eye.

Thy countenance, so sternly set, Did seem to say how vain to knock At thy heart's door, for all within Was hard, as adamantine rock.

Thus unto me thy visage seem'd, But faces do not always tell The feelings of the heart within, Or thoughts that underneath them dwell.

For e'en at times, I saw thy face Relax, and look with pity down, On struggling, weary mortals here, Without one scornful glance or frown.

At times I've seen thy steely eye, Sheath'd with a look of tender love, As if thou saw our mortal woes, And fain would help, but dare not move.

As if some higher power than thine, Directed all things here below, And for some wise and happy end, Let struggling mortals suffer woe.

Except at times, when from thy face, A cheerful light is shed on men, And when, withdrawn within thyself, We, hopeful, watch for it again.

Such is the happiness of earth,-- A sudden light, a glancing beam, Which cheers us in our lonely bark, Upon times dark, relentless stream.

The stormy waves roll darkling on, And with the current we must go, Perchance to meet some cheerful beams Of happiness, amid our woe.

But, if we guide our bark aright, And guard the precious tenant there, We soon shall reach a sea of light, From this dark, troubl'd stream of care.

Then, may we never let the shade Of bitter trouble and despair, Hide from our eyes the happy gleams, Which even we, at times, may share.

LOVE.

Thou source of bliss, thou cause of woe, Disturber of the mind of man, Wilt thou still calmly onward go, A sightless leader of the van?

In court and camp wilt thou still rule, And nation's destinies still sway; Make wise men act as doth the fool, And blindly follow thee, away?

Thou siren nymph, ethereal sprite, Thou skilful charmer of mankind, Oh, when wilt thou lead man aright, And when will they thy cords unbind?

Thy potent spells have still their force, And reason's dictates still are scorn'd, And reason runs a shackl'd course, While life, with love, is still adorn'd.

Thou fond inmate of maiden's breast, Thou lighter up of manly heart; Thou surely hast some high behest, And we shall surely never part.

We'll never part, but oh, thou friend And cheerer of life's dreary way.

May reason guide us to the end, And may she ever with thee stay.