The snow-flakes were softly fallingAdown on the landscape white,When the violet eyes of my first bornOpened unto the light;And I thought as I pressed him to me,With loving, rapturous thrill,He was pure and fair as the snow-flakesThat lay on the landscape still. I smiled when they spoke of the wearyLength of the winter’s night,Of the […]

Fair tiny rosebud! what a tideOf hidden joy, o’erpow’ring, deep,Of grateful love, of woman’s pride,Thrills through my heart till I must weepWith bliss to look on thee, my son,My first born child–my darling one! What joy for me to sit and gazeUpon thy gentle, baby face,And, dreaming of far distant days,With mother’s weakness strive to […]

TO MY HUSBAND ON OUR WEDDING-DAY. I leave for thee, beloved one,The home and friends of youth,Trusting my hopes, my happiness,Unto thy love and truth;I leave for thee my girlhood’s joys,Its sunny, careless mirth,To bear henceforth my share amidThe many cares of earth. And yet, no wild regret I giveTo all that now I leave,The […]

Why turn from me thus with such petulant pride,When I ask thee, sweet Edith, to be my bride;When I offer the gift of heart fond and true,And with loyalty seek thy young love to woo?With patience I’ve waited from week unto week,And at length I must openly, candidly speak. But why dost thou watch me […]

Whilst others give thee wond’rous toys,Or jewels rich and rare,I bring but flowers–more meet are theyFor one so young and fair. ‘Tis not because that snowy browMight with the lily vie,Or violet match the starry glanceOf that dark, lustrous eye; Nor yet because a brighter blushE’en rose leaf never wore,But ’tis that in their leaves […]

Dear mother, dry those flowing tears,They grieve me much to see;And calm, oh! calm thine anxious fears–What dost thou dread for me?‘Tis true that tempests wild oft rideAbove the stormy main,But, then, in Him I will confideWho doth their bounds ordain. I go to win renown and fameUpon the glorious sea;But still my heart will […]

O say, dear sister, are you comingForth to the fields with me?The very air is gaily ringingWith hum of bird and bee,And crowds of swallows now are chirpingUp in our ancient thorn,And earth and air are both rejoicing,On this gay summer morn. Shall we hie unto the streamlet’s sideTo seek our little boat,And, plying our […]

I sit by the fire musing,With sad and downcast eye,And my laden breast gives utt’ranceTo many a weary sigh;Hushed is each worldly feeling,Dimmed is each day-dream bright–O heavy heart, can’st tell meWhy I’m so sad to-night? ‘Tis not that I mourn the freshnessOf youth fore’er gone by–Its life with pulse high springing,Its cloudless, radiant eye–Finding […]

“Child of my love, why wearest thouThat pensive look and thoughtful brow?Can’st gaze abroad on this world so fairAnd yet thy glance be fraught with care?Roses still bloom in glowing dyes,Sunshine still fills our summer skies,Earth is still lovely, nature glad–Why dost thou look so lone and sad?” “Ah! mother it once sufficed thy childTo […]

Buried in childhood’s cloudless dreams, a fair-haired nursling lay,A soft smile hovered round the lips as if still oped to pray;And then a vision came to him, of beauty, strange and mild,Such as may only fill the dreams of a pure sinless child. Stood by his couch an angel fair, with radiant, glitt’ring wingsOf hues […]

The night lamp is faintly gleamingWithin my chamber still,And the heavy shades of midnightEach gloomy angle fill,And my worn and weary watchersScarce dare to move or weep,For they think that I am buriedIn deep and quiet sleep. But, hush! what are those voicesHeard on the midnight air,Of strange celestial sweetness,Breathing of love and prayer?Nearer they […]

They grew together side by side,They filled one house with gleeTheir graves are severed far and wide–By mountain stream and tree. Mrs. Hemans They were as fair and bright a band as ever filled with prideParental hearts whose task it was children beloved to guide;And every care that love upon its idols bright may showerWas […]

Gentle Lily with this Album my warmest wishes take,I know its pages oft thou’lt ope and prize it for my sake,For, though a trifling offering, it bears the magic spellOf coming from the hand of one who loves thee passing well. O could thy young life’s course be traced by will or wish of mine,A […]

Young mother! proudly throbs thine heart, and well may it rejoice,Well may’st thou raise to Heaven above in grateful prayer thy voice:A gift hath been bestowed on thee, a gift of priceless worth,Far dearer to thy woman’s heart than all the wealth of earth. What store of deep and holy joy is opened to thy […]

Thou art home at last, my darling one,Flushed and tired with thy play,From morning dawn until setting sunHast thou been at sport away;And thy steps are weary–hot thy brow,Yet thine eyes with joy are bright,–Ah! I read the riddle, show me nowThe treasures thou graspest tight. A pretty pebble, a tiny shell,A feather by wild […]

Oh! gladly do we welcome thee,Fair pleasant month of May;Month which we’ve eager longed to see,Through many a wintry day:And now with countless budding flowers,With sunshine bright and clear–To gild the quickly fleeting hours–At length, sweet month, thou’rt here! But, yet, we do not welcome theeBecause thy genial breathHath power our sleeping land to freeFrom […]

The following verses were suggested by a touching ceremony which lately took place in the chapel of the Congregation Convent, Notre Dame, Montreal, the beloved Institution in which the happy days of my girlhood were passed. The ceremony in question was the renewal of her vows by the Venerable Mother Superior, just fifty years from […]

I. Mine eye is weary of the plainsOf verdure vast and wideThat stretch around me–lovely, calm,From morn till even-tide;And I recall with aching heartMy childhood’s village home;Its cottage roofs and garden plots,Its brooks of silver foam. II. True glowing verdure smiles around,And this rich virgin soilGives stores of wealth in quick returnFor hours of careless […]

It is now two hundred years and moreSince first set foot on Canadian shoreThat saint-like heroine, fair and pure,Prepared all things for Christ to endure;Resigning rank and kindred ties,And her sunny home ‘neath France’s skies. A lonely sight for her to seeWas the wilderness town of Ville Marie!The proud St. Lawrence, with silver foam,Touched softly […]

Darkly falls the autumn twilight, rustles by the crisp leaf sere,Sadly wail the lonely night-winds, sweeping sea-ward, chill and drear,Sullen dash the restless waters ‘gainst a bleak and rock-bound shore,While the sea-birds’ weird voices mingle with their surging roar. Vainly seeks the eye a flow’ret ‘mid the desolation drear,Or a spray of pleasant verdure which […]