Poems of James McIntyre Part 20

RIVER CLYDE.

The Glasgow people do take pride In their river both deep and wide, In early times the youth and maid Did o'er its shallow waters wade.

But city money did not grudge, And dug it deep with the steam dredge, And now proudly on its bosom floats The mighty ships and great steamboats.

No wonder citizens take pride For they themselves have made the Clyde, Great and navigable river, Where huge fleets will float forever.

Dunbarton's lofty castle rock[G]

Which oft' has stood the battle's shock, The river it doth boldly guard, So industry may reap reward.

But more protection still they deem Is yet required so down the stream Strong batteries are erected, So commerce may be safe protected.

Old ocean now he doth take pride To see upon his bosom ride The commerce of his youngest bride, The fair and lovely charming Clyde.

[G] Mr. James Sinclair of this town has written a fine piece remonstrating against the removal of the sword of Wallace from its old place of safety, Dunbarton Castle.

ELF SHOT.

A lad brought up in Highland vale Who did believe each fairy tale, Which his grannie oft' to him told, And of witches and of warlocks bold, And he himself would often pour For hours reading wizard lore.

One night his mother to the town In a hurry sent him down, So o'er his pony he did stride, And to the town did fearful ride, He thought that demons they would rush On him from every rock and bush, And as he rode through the quarry It did great increase his flurry, He felt that fiends with fiercest hate Would surely there seal fast his fate.

But town he reached and 'neath his vest He parcel pressed close to his breast, The pony now he mounts once more For to pa.s.s quarry as before, But, alas, at that fatal spot He heard a gun, he was elf shot, He felt that from his breast a flood Was pouring down of his heart's blood, But he clung fast to pony's back, Though loss of blood his frame did rack, But in spite of his alarms He resolved to die in mother's arms, And when he reached his own door He said that he was drenched in gore, From bullet hole all in his breast.

His father opened up his vest, And he did sadly fear the worst But found yeast bottle had but burst.

HALLOWE'EN.

A tale we'll tell of what hath been When maids and youths kept Hallowe'en, It is a tale of old world lore What happened in the days of yore, When fairies danced upon the green So merrily on Hallowe'en, And witches did play many a trick a.s.sisted by their auld friend Nick, And lovers meet around the fire Near to the one their hearts desire, For to burn nuts for to discover The truthfulness of their lover.

They first did give each nut a name, This was Sandy, that was Jane.

If they did blaze side by side, She knew her husband, he his bride, But if one up the chimney flew, One knew the other was not true.

And one sure test did never fail, Blindfold to find good stock of kale, To pull the first comes to the hand With heavy roots of earth and sand, For the very weight of mould Does denote weight of lovers gold.

In tubs children love to splatter, Ducking for apples in the water, For such were the delights of yore, Which soon will cease for evermore; At Balmoral Castle Britain's Queen Oft' celebrated Hallowe'en, But Highland landlords now do clear Land of men to make room for deer, But here upon Canadian soil A man may own where he doth toil.

AMERICAN POETS.

Like fruit that's large and ripe and mellow, Sweet and luscious is Longfellow, Melodious songs he oft did pour And high was his Excelsior.

He shows in his Psalm of Life The folly of our selfish strife, With Hiawatha we bewail His suffering in great Indian tale.

Indian nation was forlorn Till great spirit planted corn; His story of Evangeline It is a tale of love divine.

POE.

A great enchanter too is Poe, His bells do so harmonious flow, Wondrous mystery of his raven On our minds is 'ere engraven, His wierd, wonderful romances Imagination oft entrances.

LOWELL.

With pleasure we would love to dwell On the charming themes of Lowell.

BRYANT.

Some in front rank will defiant, Boldly place the poet Bryant.

WHITTIER.

Others seek for music in the twitter Of the sweet, charming notes of Whittier.

SAXE.

The mind that's sad it doth relax The humor of the witty Saxe, He puts us in a cheerful mood, Mirthful as our own Tom Hood.

WILL CARLETON.

In homely apparel one Clothes farming songs Will Carleton, But they have a manly ring And we his praises hearty sing.

MILLAR.

And Millar poet of Sierras, For bold deeds he doth prepare us, And now he lives by the golden gate, Honored in California's state, To poet 'tis position grand, Commissioner of Forest land.

HOLMES.

O'er flowery fields full oft he roams, The learned and pleasing genial Holmes.

WALT WHITMAN.

For erratic style he leads van, Wildly wayward Walt Whitman, He done grand work in civil war, For he did dress many a scar, And kindly wet the hot parched mouth Of Northern soldiers wounded South.