Poems

the pine's dark flag unfurl s, And blood-red holly-berries shine, And bay and chaparral intertwine, The chirruping of squirrels. 26 A WINTER'S DAY IN CALIFORNIA Far off, the mountains, lapped in haze, High-throned?like hoary kings of old, Girt in their purple and their gold? Look forth with lofty gaze;? Forth o'er dominions rich in stores Of corn and oil, and gold and wine, And flocks of sheep and herds of kine, Clasped round by shining shores. But sitting at the casement here, Where swims the tremulous rich delight Of slumb'rous sound and smell and sight, This last day of the year :? What son of Canada could forget, 'Mid all the sensuous charm and glow, That frugal land of sun and snow That holds his heart-strings yet ? That land where first he heard the song Of Robin Redbreast on the tree, When the late grass sprang tenderly And days were waxing long ; A WINTER'S DAY IN CALIFORNIA 27 That land of river, forest, rock,? Stern country! hallow'd by the tears And toils of simple pioneers, The blood of Wolfe and Brock ! No, 'mid this lavish, rare display Of Nature's bounties, rich and free, My heart, dear country, turns to thee In love this winter's day; And would not give one foot of thy Rude soil, one white December blast, For all these valleys, verdant, vast, For all this languid sky ! These make not nations ; only hearts Strong as the basal rocks, and pure As limpid northern...