OTTAWA.
Hail! to the city sitting as a queen
Enthroned a cataract on either hand,
The voice of many waters in her ears,
And the great river tranquil at her feet,
Smoothing his locks and all his foamy mane
After his wild leap from the rifted rocks,
And while he fawns about her feet, she sits
A young Cybele diademed with towers,
So young yet on her sandals there is blood,
And all the river will not wash it out
Spilt at her feet for being true to her,
So young, and well she doth become her state,
We look, and know her born to be a queen,
Before the mother finger o'er the sea
Touched her, and made her royal with a touch;
For, seated where the thundering waters meet,
Spanned by her fingers, she can lay her hand
On two fair provinces, and call them hers;
Greater than those which swell and pride themselves
In long, loud titles in the older world;
The whirl and hum of industry are here,
And all the fragrance of the enriching pine;
And on the river in the wake of boats
That snort and prance like Neptune's battle steeds,
Pawing the water with impatient steps,
Passes our floating wealth that seeks the sea.
THE LAKE ALLUMETTE.
"One is not."
Have you seen the beautiful Allumette,
The magnificent pine-fringed lake,
In its splendour the sun about to set,
Ere the fair lady moon awake.
The waters are tinged with a golden glow,
With rose and ruby and purple bars;
Heaven's mantle flung on the lake below
Till it fades off beneath the stars.
The distant hills, robed in violet mist
Of the heavenly hues partake,
As they stand, with the sunlight crowned and kissed,
On guard round the beautiful lake.
Over the waters ride gay little boats,
Diamonds flash from the dipping oars;
Laughter and song's mingled melody floats
To ripple and die around the shores.
Life is so gay on the Lake Allumette,
Ah me! does its sky ever frown
On a place unmarked, unheeded, and yet
In that place my brother went down.
Sad hearted we sit by Lake Allumette,
Who saw him go down in the wave;
And question ourselves in anguished regret,
Did we make every effort to save?