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William Hunter – Poems 1900 |
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60 Latest news from Africa 61 For Queen Victoria's 81st birthday |
62 La grippe 63 Lines on a 50th wedding anniversary |
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LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA - Antrim Farm - March 6th, 1900 A tale has come from Afric's shore Midst mauser crack and cannon roar That Britons, as in days of yore Ne'er quailed nor faltered By Kopje's hill or sandy veldt Where dust and heat is sorely felt Our boys, the boastful Boer has dealt A blow that makes things altered Canadian lads have led the van We knew they'd never flee, but stand And fight for flag and Motherland Or die, as some have died So full our hearts with pride and pain We cheer the living, praise the slain For deeds they'd gladly do again And other deeds besides Canadian mothers weep to-day For sons who were their pride and stay Whose lifless forms lie far away In Afric's Golden Sand And mothers 'neath the Southern Cross Around whose shores the wild waves toss Weep with our own in their sharp loss In far-off Southern land The Motherland from cot to hall Shed tears for noble sons who fall Who answered to their country's call To show their country's might We'll pray for blessings on the cause That all may have the same just laws May British never make a pause Till past wrongs are make right 61. FOR QUEEN VICTORIA'S 81ST BIRTHDAY Antrim Farm - May 24, 1900 When morning's sun with golden beams First streaks the eastern sky We hear the beating of the drum And there a flag floats high And as the orb of day ascends We hear that same loved lay "God Save the Queen" is sung by friends Upon the Queen's birthday It's three and sixty years ago A youthful maiden fair Came to the throne, received a crown And still she's sitting there This earth has never seen the like Go search where'er you may Of all these three and sixty years This is the greatest day She had gained a place in every heart Throughout her vast domain Not only o'er her people rules But in their hearts she reigns All rulers sure can learn of her Why -- she's a great success A faithful wife, a mother true But queenly none the less One thing has helped our noble Queen With home and nations cares And that one thing we all have seen Is a nation's stream of prayers And prayers ascend from Afric's shores Where lances flash and gleam Midst battles rush, and cannons' roar Arise, "God Save our Queen" 62. LA GRIPPE - Antrim Farm - December, 1900 So you have had that freak disease! Now you crow And your joyful heart release So you blow For, to hear us cough and sneeze Loud and long on every breeze Or in our bed to wheeze That I know... Well, I took a quinine pill Now I crow And it made me free from ill Then I blow For I always hungry feel Never miss a good square meal Often to the pantry steal This others know... Now don't you ever tell That I crowed Nor how quick that I got well And then blowed For Jack would surely say "He would not feel quite so gay But in his bed he's stay Don't you know"... Now the laxative quinine pill Makes you crow So you really can't keep still This I know Just take one whene'er you eat And when you go to sleep You will never hear a peep Don't you know 63. LINES ON THE 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF MR. & MRS. ROBERT H. MCCLURE - Antrim Farm When evening comes with drawn blinds Another eve you oft remember That day is ever in your minds It is the ninth day of December Two loving hearts were then made one To trot along in life together The splice that day had been well done That stood for fifty years the weather A son of Erin, kind and true There are none will say aught else I'm sure Depended on as a true blue Is this same Robert H. McClure A glorious name his birthplace bears Where'er the cloud of battle looms Whatever man can do and dare Is always done by her dragoons So fifty winters with their snow Have covered up our bleak brown earth And fifty springs, with flowers that blow Each spring renewing signs of birth And fifty times the summer's sun Has warmed the earth that man has tilled And fifty times has autumn come God's promises each year fulfilled 'Tis not to every man and wife That fifty years should come and go Without they share the ills of life Often of joy, but some of woe No vain regrets have filled your hearts But peace and love have dwelt secure Each one has felt the other's smart And borne it patiently I'm sure And thoughts will turn to days of yore As on the winding banks of Erne When playing by the cottage door Or skipping through the fields of corn And to that day a long farewell To home and friends you held so dear Your inmost thoughts you dare not tell But only dropped a boyish tear The never-ceasing wheels of time Have left their mark upon your head Dark bushy locks that looked so fine Are white and scattered now instead So smooth and calm your youthful brow And bright and sweet those eyes of blue But on those brows are wrinkles now And dim those eyes though still as true Now stand and clasp each other's hand As fifty years you did before A bright and joyous merry band Is gathered as in days of yore And pray for blessings on the pair That has so far through life now trod That they may reach their heaven so fair Accepted in the sight of God |
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