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              [Illustration: 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 Now                                                             12

The Battle of Chateauguay                                             14

The Deep Mines                                                        16

Laura Secord; or, The Battle of the Beaver Dams                       18

The Sea and the Soul                                                  21

The Battle of Lundy’s Lane                                            22

My Wife                                                               26

Niagara                                                               28

The Ojibways                                                          29

Wrecked                                                               47

The Battle of Chrysler’s Farm                                         49

Summer Twilight                                                       51

Canadian Homes                                                        52

Think of Me                                                           63

Dulac des Ormeaux; or, The Thermopylæ of Canada                       64

Golden Hair                                                           69

The Convict                                                           70

The Battle of Lacolle Mills                                           72

The Nineteenth Century Maiden                                         74

Music                                                                 76

Waterloo                                                              78

The Dove’s Song                                                       95

Blinded Eyes                                                          96

The Veterans’ Reunion                                                 97

Discredited                                                          100

The Battle of Stony Creek                                            102

Voices                                                               104

Divided                                                              106

The Hurons                                                           107

On the Headland                                                      117

Only a Vision                                                        118

The World Wants a Smiling Face                                       120

The Voice of Tears                                                   122

The Garden                                                           123

The Battle of Queenston Heights                                      123

A Forest Dream                                                       127

Woman                                                                128

The Jesuit                                                           129

Under the Stars                                                      136

Unexplained                                                          137

Life’s Highway                                                       139

The Battle of Abraham’s Plains                                       153

Minnie Lee                                                           158

The Soul                                                             159

The Prodigal Son                                                     160

Autumn Rain                                                          161

The Battle of the Canard River                                       163

The Taking of Detroit                                                165

The Dandelion                                                        166

The Death of Summer                                                  168

“Big Mike Fox”                                                       169

Winter Time                                                          173

I Saw Her Face To-day                                                175

The Flight of Time--

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 Summer                                  209

Grandsire                                                            210

Adversity                                                            211

Fullmer’s Lane                                                       213

Autumn Winds                                                         215

The Battle of Batoche                                                216

Falling Leaves                                                       222

The Sea                                                              224

Only a Faded Leaf                                                    226

Astray                                                               227

A Spectre                                                            229

A Reverie                                                            230

In Memoriam                                                          232

Only Dreams                                                          234

The Battle of Cut Knife Hill                                         235

The Silent Voice                                                     238

Forgotten                                                            241

Inner Life                                                           242

Spring-time                                                          243

We Have Missed Thee                                                  244

The Rescue                                                           245

A Prayer                                                             248

The Farewell                                                         249

Farewell to Summer                                                   250

Remembrance                                                          252

The Worshippers                                                      253

At Midnight                                                          255

Change                                                               256

Thoughts                                                             257

Spring                                                               259

Regret                                                               260

In Memoriam                                                          260

The Parting                                                          261

To the Wanderer                                                      263

Lula by the Sea                                                      265

Tired                                                                266

The Lost Flower                                                      268

Drifting                                                             268

Longing                                                              269

The Last Song                                                        270

The First Snow                                                       271

Peace                                                                273

Armageddon                                                           274

Charity                                                              292




                         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.


    Redly the October sun shone that day
    O’er the golden landscape stretching away
    To the Laurentian Hills, o’er vale and stream
    As lovely as ever a poet’s dream.
    O’er the land of the Maple Leaf so fair
    Stole the wandering breeze, caressing there
    With light, soft fingers, and murmuring low
    Through the fading foliage, dying slow.
    ’Twas the peace of nature, touchingly grand,
    Brooding over this fair Canadian land.

    But another scene draws our thoughts away
    To the far-famed field of the Chateauguay.
    There beside it War’s trumpets fiercely blare;
    And marshalling foemen are forming there!
    The invader dares to pollute our soil;
    But brave, true men will his purpose foil.
    Noble de Salaberry, knowing no fear,
    Dreads not the foe, who by thousands draw near.
    Gallantly those Frenchmen stand by his side,
    Sharpshooters, every one, true and tried;
    And they coolly wait the oncoming foe,
    And the river goes by in gentle flow.

    “They come! they come! Voltigeurs, steady!
    Aim low, aim low,--be calm now and ready;
    Ye fight for your homes, and country so fair--
    Yield not an inch, nor ever despair.”
    Their rifles they raised, aimed steady and well,
    Fired low, and hundreds before them fell!

    The foe now open with thunderous roar;
    Shot and shell from their guns they hotly pour.
    Unflinching, the Voltigeurs firmly stand,
    Though storm’d at by masses on every hand.
    Swift volleys they hurl on the assaulting foe,
    Sure and deadly by the river’s flow.

    Checked in their advance by the Voltigeurs,
    Who heroically the storm endure;
    Patiently, though suffering loss and pain,
    Their position they proudly, sternly maintain.

    By sheer numbers being nearly surrounded,
    Though the foe are stunned and confounded,
    ’Tis a critical time at Chateauguay.
    Will de Salaberry in despair give way?
    No! in sterner mould is the hero cast,
    And will bar the way of the foe to the last.
    Ah! a clever ruse he’s adopting now,
    And a smile flits over his noble brow.

    He extends his buglers widely in rear,
    To sound the charge and lustily cheer.
    ’Twas a clever thought, and a master-stroke;
    On the startled ear of the foe it broke,
    And, frightened, they everywhere give way--
    Lost is the field, and lost is the day.
    Breaking into instant, headlong retreat,
    From humiliating and sore defeat,
    Over the border they swiftly fly,
    And the “Red Cross Banner” still floats on high.

    All hail, de Salaberry! hail, Voltigeurs!
    Thy fame still lives, it forever endures;
    Ye sternly barred there the foe that day,
    By the far-famed stream of the Chateauguay.

    And redly the October sun sank low,
    Flooding the world with its crimsoning glow;
    And the shadows fell on the golden scene
    As beautiful as e’er a poet’s dream.
    And the pale, dead faces were laid away
    By the murmuring stream of the Chateauguay!
    And white-winged peace hovered there once more
    In the fading light by the river’s shore.




        THE DEEP MINES.


    Delve down in the deep mines, O restless man!
      Wrest from the deep mines the red, red gold;
    Seize the diamonds and the precious gems;
      In the deep, vast mines lies wealth untold.
    Win from the deep sea, from the uttermost sea,
      The hoarded treasures of Neptune’s realm