The Project Gutenberg eBook of Canadian Battlefields, and Other Poems

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Title: Canadian Battlefields, and Other Poems

Author: J. R. Wilkinson

Release date: November 17, 2016 [eBook #53545]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Chuck Greif and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CANADIAN BATTLEFIELDS, AND OTHER POEMS ***
Image unavailable: LIEUT.-COL. J. R. WILKINSON. Late Commanding 21st Fusiliers.
LIEUT.-COL. J. R. WILKINSON.
Late Commanding 21st Fusiliers.

Canadian Battlefields

And Other Poems

BY

LIEUT.-COL. J. R. WILKINSON

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR BY
WILLIAM BRIGGS
TORONTO
1899

Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, by John Richardson Wilkinson, at the Department of Agriculture.

PREFACE.

In submitting “Canadian Battlefields and Other Poems” to a discerning public, I realize it may be marred by many errors; the harp may not always be in tune—some chords may jar upon the fastidious ear. Rhythm and harmony may not always present that mysterious appeal to the soul that approves, and proves the worth of all. Yet, withal, I feel that some thoughts and emotions of patriotism, love of home, the song of nature, the mystery of creation, and the impenetrable depths of infinitude, may be found and approved.

The subtle voice of nature, the voices of love, home, and country, have ever appealed to me, and impelled me to sing my humble song. And thus, in doubt and uncertainty, I cast it out on the world—the reading, critical public—asking that the pure, white veil of charity may conceal its rough edges and inequalities.

Seek but to benefit thy fellowman;
 Let smiles, not frowns, his rugged path assail;
 Better with blinded eyes his faults to scan
 Than let the sin of wrong and scorn prevail.

J. R. WILKINSON.

Leamington, 1899.

 

 

CONTENTS.

 Page
What Shall I Sing?9
Speak Now12
The Battle of Chateauguay14
The Deep Mines16
Laura Secord; or, The Battle of the Beaver Dams18
The Sea and the Soul21
The Battle of Lundy’s Lane22
My Wife26
Niagara28
The Ojibways29
Wrecked47
The Battle of Chrysler’s Farm49
Summer Twilight51
Canadian Homes52
Think of Me63
Dulac des Ormeaux; or, The Thermopylæ of Canada64
Golden Hair69
The Convict70
The Battle of Lacolle Mills72
The Nineteenth Century Maiden74
Music76
Waterloo78
The Dove’s Song95
Blinded Eyes96
The Veterans’ Reunion97
Discredited100
The Battle of Stony Creek102
Voices104
Divided106
The Hurons107
On the Headland117
Only a Vision118
The World Wants a Smiling Face120
The Voice of Tears122
The Garden123
The Battle of Queenston Heights123
A Forest Dream127
Woman128
The Jesuit129
Under the Stars136
Unexplained137
Life’s Highway139
The Battle of Abraham’s Plains153
Minnie Lee158
The Soul159
The Prodigal Son160
Autumn Rain161
The Battle of the Canard River163
The Taking of Detroit165
The Dandelion166
The Death of Summer168
“Big Mike Fox”169
Winter Time173
I Saw Her Face To-day175
Chapter I. The Creation 176
“ II. The Exodus 178
“ III. Belshazzar’s Feast 179
“ IV. The Star of Bethlehem 180
“ V. A Night in Old Rome 181
“ VI. The Gladiators 184
“ VII. The Fall of Imperial Rome 187
“ VIII. Antony and Cleopatra 188
“ IX. Retrospection 189
“ X. The Flight Through Space 192
“ XI. Mars 195
“ XII.Jupiter 197
“ XIII. Saturn 198
“ XIV. Uranus 200
“ XV. Neptune 201
“ XVI. The Constellations 202
“ XVII. Chaos 204
“ XVIII. Mother Earth 206
“ XIX. The Fate of Time 207
Lost and Won; or, Winter and Summer209
Grandsire210
Adversity211
Fullmer’s Lane213
Autumn Winds215
The Battle of Batoche216
Falling Leaves222
The Sea224
Only a Faded Leaf226
Astray227
A Spectre229
A Reverie230
In Memoriam232
Only Dreams234
The Battle of Cut Knife Hill235
The Silent Voice238
Forgotten241
Inner Life242
Spring-time243
We Have Missed Thee244
The Rescue245
A Prayer248
The Farewell249
Farewell to Summer250
Remembrance252
The Worshippers253
At Midnight255
Change256
Thoughts257
Spring259
Regret260
In Memoriam260
The Parting261
To the Wanderer263
Lula by the Sea265
Tired266
The Lost Flower268
Drifting268
Longing269
The Last Song270
The First Snow271
Peace273
Armageddon274
Charity292

CANADIAN BATTLEFIELDS
AND OTHER POEMS.

WHAT SHALL I SING?

What shall I sing, I prithee, O Muse?
 For song burns my bosom to-day;
 And it flows o’er me like a wave o’ the sea,
 A dream-wrought, subtle melody.
 Shall’t be of the wondrous present,
 This scientific, restless age;
 Or cull from the field the centuries yield
 Rich gems from history’s page?
Shall it be of stern war and the cause
 For which millions of men are slain,
 And heroic days with glory ablaze,
 Dear freedom and honor to gain?
 Shall I sing of the stars of heaven
 That forever their orbits keep—
 Beautiful, serene stars of heaven,
 Gemming the eternal deep?
Shall it be of the grand old ocean,
 And its bright isles far away,
 With life all free as th’ unbounded sea,
 A subtle and golden day?
Shall I tell of the glory of sunset,
 And the twilight soft on the lea,
 The murmuring winds, through foliage and vines,
 And the moon that silvers the sea?
Shall it be a lay of the seasons,
 That fade like a dream away?
 The spring so fair, and the perfumed air,
 And the songsters that trill so gay?
 And the summer robed in splendor,
 Serene as a spirit dream,
 Her throbs and sighs and cerulean skies
 Would I make my soul’s bright theme?
Shall ’t be of the autumn’s fading,
 And the winds that sob and sigh,
 And the leaves of gold, drifting fold on fold,
 And the flowers that droop and die;
 The birds that trill us a last farewell,
 Tenderly, sorrowfully sweet,
 Saddening the heart, doomed ever to part,
 And life’s work so incomplete?
Shall I tell of the white-robed winter
 Sweeping down from icy zones,
 And the frozen streams, and the pale, cold gleams,
 And its desolate sobs and moans?
 Ah! shall it be of home and mother,
 And the years that have flown away,
 And the loved of old, like a tale that’s told
 From childhood’s dear happy day?
Shall ’t be of the innocent children,
 Believing of such is heaven?
 Their prattle and glee’s a joy unto me,
 And care from the heart is driven.
 Shall I sing of our lovèd country,
 And these bright, fair homes of ours?
 So happy and free from sea unto sea,
 Guard well thy bulwarks and towers.
And the grand “Old Flag” floating o’er us,
 Proudly ruling the boundless sea,
 Ever unfurled, encircling the world,
 Hath glory enough for me!
 Shall I sing of man’s joys and sorrows?
 Of woman’s undying love?
 Of the ransomed that wait at the “pearly gate”
 Of the “city of gold” above?
I would sing of all things beautiful,
 The heroic and the true,
 With a quenchless flame and a deathless fame
 To brighten the whole world through.
 A resurrection and a rising
 To a grander, nobler life,
 In brighter spheres, where the golden years
 Exclude all of storm and strife.

SPEAK NOW.

Ah, me! the words unspoken
 Might have saved a soul to-day—
 And perhaps a heart was broken,
 And made hopeless by the way.
 If we poor blundering creatures
 But in wisdom would speak now,
 We should see more smiling features,
 And less gloom on many a brow.
There would be far less of doubting,
 And far less of weary pain;
 If we ceased our cruel scouting;
 We should wider friendship gain.
 Many a way-worn wanderer
 Would rejoice if he but knew
 That absence maketh but fonder;
 That our hearts are leal and true.
Why not speak the word of warning
 When we know that danger’s nigh?
 Why stand ye in idle scorning
 Whilst the heedless ones pass by?
 Why not help thy fallen brother
 To regain his feet once more?
 Do thy duty, let no other
 For thy help in vain implore.
Why not spurn the demon slander
 That hath slain so many hearts?
 Should we listen e’en, or pander
 Whilst he hurls his venomed darts?
Why not speak the words of kindness
 To those whom we truly love?
 Why should we in our dull blindness
 Wait the summoning from above?
Why not do the deed that’s noble,
 That life may the better be;
 And thus scorning the ignoble,
 Live in blameless purity?
 Such are fearless when the battle
 Rages on a blood-red field;
 Fearing not the cannon’s rattle,
 They but to grim death will yield.
Brave hearts like these have nobly died,
 Fadeless crowns to such be given;
 The good in heart, and purified
 Shall wear more stars in heaven.
 Rest not, nor sleep, be brave of soul,
 Seek the lost to soothe and save;
 For life is brief, so near the goal,
 From our childhood to the grave.

THE BATTLE OF CHATEAUGUAY.

Fought October 26th, 1813. American Force, 3,500; British, 400.