Works

(P McD)


We waited for him, and the anxious days
Melted to years and floated slowly by
We spoke of him kind words of lofty praise,
Of yearning love and tender sympathy.
...

PART I

Away up on the River aux Lievres,
That is foaming and surging always,
And from rock to rock leaping through rapids,
Which are curtained by showers of spray;
...

O thou wild rantin' wicked wit;
Are thy works, thy fame livin' yet?
Will thae daft people never quit
An ne'er ha'e done
Disturbin' me in my black pit
Wi' Burn's fun.
...

Oh Allumette, hemmed with thy fringe of pine,
Watched over by thy mountains far away,
Thy waters have been troubled oftentime,
Never before as they have been to day!
...

(Job iii. 26)


It was not that I lived a life of ease,
Quiet, secure, apart from every care;
For on the darkest of my anxious days
I thought my burden more than I could bear....

(To Miss E E.)


I cannot write, my tears are flowing fast,
Yet weeping is unnatural to me;
Oh! that this hour of bitterness was past--
The parting hour with all I love and thee
...

There is a gladness over all the earth,
For summer is abroad in breezy mirth,
Nature rejoices and the heavens are glad,
And I alone am desolate and sad,
For I sit mourning by an empty cot,...

They will place a bridal wreath, maiden,
To crown all your shining hair;
The mist-like cloud of the bridal veil
Will float round a face most fair.

They will dress you in bridal robes, maiden,...

He lay on my breast so sweet and fair,
I fondly fancied his home was there,
Nor thought that the eyes of merry blue,
With baby love for me laughing through,

Were pining to go from whence he came,...

Sing and rejoice,
With heart and voice,
An heir is born to the British Crown,
A royal son,
A princely one,
One born to glory and renown.

A nation's mirth
Rose at his birth,...

The book of life to thee is given,
To warn of death, to guide to Heaven.
Wanderer on the wild astray,
Here wilt thou find the King's highway.
Has thy soul suffered, hunger, pain,...

When my heart was sad and lonely,
And had closed its inmost cell
Over the impulsive feelings
That rule my nation's hearts too well.

When the tie was cut asunder,
That had bound me to a home,...

(I have borrowed thy pattern, dear Hood, to cut out our mourning garments.)


With garments for sorrow torn,
With eyelids heavy and red,
A woman sat by a new-made grave,...

Let mirth and joy a season reign
And sorrow flee away
Sadness were perfect sin it is
My Anne's natal day

And now a birthday rhyme for her
This sister of my own...

Sister, sweet sister, years have passed away,
Since first, 'mid warm hearts, sunny, frank and true,
I commenced rhyming on thy natal day,
On the green sod where Erin's shamrock grew.
...

'At last he is dead'
So the wondering, horror-struck neighbours said,
A skilful touch of his knife
Has cut the thread of a wasted life
He has reached the end of the downward road,...