JUBILEE POEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 54, 2 July 1887, Page 6

JUBILEE POEMS.

For the benefit of those.-of our readers possessed- of literary tasto and who may wish to guage the. poetical powers of New Zealanders, we quote two of the poems entered for the recent competition at Wellington. The competition wa3 open to New Zealand, and the pre-eminent position taken by Auckland poets in tho contest has already been referred to. The two poems given underneath are by Aucklanders — the first, signed "Eastbourne," being that; for which Mr Alex. SI. Ferguson, of Lucas's Creek, was awarded the five-guinea prize. The other, signed "Jeune Epreuve," is by a youthful poet of Auckland whose composition stamps him as possessed of a large share of " the vision and the faculty divine." This piece was placed first in order of merit after the prize composition. When it is , mentioned that "Jcune Epreuve" is an Auckland-born youth, of only seventeen years of age, it will be conceded that his poem gives splendid promise of future poetic triumphs. Mr Ferguson, whose poem is marked by wealth of diction and grace of expression, is a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and is a comparatively recent arrival in the colony.

THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE.

What murmuring music, swelling cloarcr, clearer, floats, round th' empurpled footsteps of the morii, Or is it music only to the hearer In. whose oxpectant fancy it is born ? Are those sweet strains the chorus now is Singing, Only Vi warbling from tho woods below ? And. those fa,r cWmcs? la Memory softly ringing The crowning bells of fifty years ago? No. no! That happy chorus of the 11 ving We too shall join beneath yon rising sun; One universal psalm o£ deep thanksgiving Shall gird the world before this day is done. Thanksgivings from an Empire that rejoices. Scattered apart, but one in heart and soul; The bold triumphal tumult of their voices W_|ke3, answering echoes even from polo to pole. Such loud- applause in every age and nation Has led the conqueror homeward from tho war _ 1 ' JSuch clarion-throated peals of acclamation. Rose over Waterloo and Trafalgar. But this is not the song of empty vaunting. No. braggart boast of victors o'er tho slain, These Warriors of to-day arc loudly chaunting Tho peaceful triumphs of a glorious reign. A glorious reign! "Victoria, when tho mid7. night ~;,Of time has closed on later reigns than thine, Thy clear, pure life shall like a shaft of starlight Redeem these years through which thy virtues shine. And fhou .halt, reign the pattern Qu.cn of story: Tho Muses all will strain their loftiest art.. To weave around thy name an aureole glory. And shrine thee peer.ess in a People's heart. For 'neath thy sceptre Knowledge, still extending, . . On. every branch brings forth a rich increase: And labouring Science, year by year, is lending. New aids to all the gracious Arts, of Peace. . And restless Commerce cleaves earth's liquid bosom, Till azure depths turn white beneath her keel: . While deep below, where oceans gardens blossoni; .^- Theisiibdued lightnings with their message steal. i But from thy throne there breaks a purer splendour i;- ■■" ■' .- That rarely gilds the diadems, of kings, . Our Faith "has found in Thee a wise Defender . And loving guardian of its.holiest things. ' And while thy sympathy is daily weaving New bonds of love between our hearts and Theo, r To coming generations thou art leaving A higher mo'cfol of what Kings should be. And northwards, southwards, -westwards, or ,'''' ; wherever • • -* _> - The children of the Ocean havo increased, Thy kindly influence follows like a river, Thy blessings fall like manna in the East. And thou hast sweptfn seasons of our saduess, - For thou hast had of sorrow tliyfuir share," And in the smiling seasons of our gladness Thy kindly smHo. thy happy voice was there. •And now. while. -Summer strews its fairest flower.. ' "nonthefootstoolof thine Island-throne, A v inter, here, in this new laud of ours, • - _C >" i bright our homes with blossoms of its m, v.fc ' New 'ealand.Tlo.al band of sons and. inters f - . • Ben h the grand old Banner take their d nd. .... , \ _-_-- - ijudly waft across the western waters - Their praise, their thanks, their greetings _, v from the land Of twilight gorge and ice-flanked towering mountains, * At whose lone feet the loud Pacific breaks; healing waters gush from steaming foun- ■ tains ■ ■'" '"„"," O'er beds of coralite to az-nre lakes. -_ A land of richest promise 1 - Heaven defend her! ... ~', _ .- And help hersons thatpromise to taißh And through the changes He sees best to send Her loyalty of heart keep unchanged still. Her loyalty to Thee; and that embraces ' A trust in what our noblest do or say. A trust in Truth in low or highest places: -.- . . - Such loyalty pf heart is ours to-day. -. Flash' hrwipy heavens in every jewelled ••motion, -• - _, ... _, , ."When happy night sleeps on the Northern '•'• Sea; Wake happy day across the Island Ocean, Our Southern nightwaits anxiously for thee. Eastbouknk.

THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE,

Ye countries great who speak tho English Como'iielp'ye all tfiayear to celebrate, Let grief aud sorrow to the winds be flung, And let the bells of peace and love be rung, And make a time of joy to old and young This Golden Wedding of the Queen and State. And We in this far corner of the earth,. Whose growrth is but coeval with pur Queen, Let us. at every fireside, home, and hearth, • Love, iionbur, and obey that Queen of worth, The ruler Of the land that gave us birth, ■ And let us keep her mein'ry ever green. ; The years roll on, and othere fill their place, And fifty sears with fjjjfe.wings.flieth by, And Time, advancing i||p steady pace That marcher, past th-tuerer turns his face But passes on, unheeding, every 1 ace, ~<-,? _. Secais as the birds of heaven swift to fly. Yes though it were as but one year bad flown 'Sincelhe bright day when that gay pageant "Thatpfal^d'on young Victorians; head a crown, And lifted her upon Earth's highest throne, 'Tis fifty years, it teems to me but one, . - A time of happiness gone by too fast. • 'AndfttWeslll'nsleronthatday, no wordsi . *_lff Jpairit7lbe splendour of . that, brilliant There Sw"i .'our greatest Cbinmonersand Lords, There we 9 thl Wicfacrs of those mighty Thatyearaere, then had cleft Napoleen's hordes, These were a few who came to crown our Queen. • -----;- ~... ........,. There were the relics of that noble crew Who on the Vicfry had Trafalgar won, And there the remnants of that army true, Who, <?re that dayjust twenty years and two, Had i'ouerht and gained the held of Waterlco,..... ";A_.d there their great .oiniriand.r Wellington. But in the fifty years just iMtSsfed away . A. change- has'come, a'great and mighty Liehtning. is used to turn the night to day, An iron horse how speeds along the way, ... Ail iron bark that winds do hot delay ~ •Now ploughs the mighty deep with noises ;<Ji_trange.. r --•:■■ ~, '.'•': firave are our soldiers as they were of yore, But now" the flgh_ls seldom with the brave ." For miles apart eaclr army's cannon roar, >nd faraway their fearful volleys pour, 7 And nati-ns now have vessels, us'ea.in war ; To fight the foeinen from beneath'the wave. . .-■■"..'- 7%:.«."• ' ■'•: '; ■ -'"*: ;-'■■; ,".-.' 7 -7 Knowledge hxs force, and, science might. \ #, .'"., . ;"' The body is theNubject of the brain; . . • ■ • These fifty;y<rar_ ht^ve glven'ns the right To say that we have ue.iped to shed tho light: • Of God's great Word _nnd the heathen night. \ This is iho greatest glb_y of .'the reign.. I Our Queen is alio changed; her noble br.W it" fNoWfWro^^l by the lines ot ({rief and care, 1 Scarce bears heY crown; and that great weight HjL' _*~■* of WOO'-.' y.:%; _<•-' •• ,- .■■■•■■■■;.■% :i ■■;■"■ IS TKat camo who! feverlaftther husband low P HaSiChantjeo tw ipaidoj. to a matron W% '■'• K_^*^ !^^^^^" o *—-'' ;:' ''"> :

But the great change is outward; ye may see Amid the changing aspect of tho land j That still our hearts beat fast with loyally, That loy'lty that gives strength and unity, And that still remain as true and tree. And still wo do with joy our Q-een's com niands.

Our Queen is g.ntlo as sho was in youth, borrow and grief have mado her love the sad ; fch" is the emblem of pure love and truth, 'A nob c Queen," these words from the deep mouth Of her great Empire in the North and South Give her this name that none bofore have had.

And m this fiftieth year of her bright reign, Great men, as on the Coronation Day, As great as those who then were in her train, Heroes of battle, men of clovor brain, Will come and bow beneath her throne again. And at her feet their gifts and olf'rings lay.

And we, on this far-oiFPaoiflc shore. With the vast ocean rolling w.de between, Catch even hero those words that nations pour, And echo back wiih fast increasing roar, That cry that will endure for evormoro, "Lofiglivo the Queen 1 God save our gracious Queen!"

Jeune Epreuve.