POETRY.
NEW ZEALAND.
Past.
Flax, fern, and nikau rustled in bhe breeze Thab far bhe bell bird's liquid music bore Thro' golden-fruibed, ball karaka trees.
While blue waves murmured genbly on th» shore ; And mating with the mighty solitude
The strange, gigantic moa, stalked sereno, When, entered on this ocean Eden, green, A bribe of sbalwarb natives, semi-nude,
In frail canoes, had crossed th' unsounded
deep; Bub here, their paddles left the flashing
foam. By turns they idly 1011, fish, weave, and
sleep, Or on th' ensanguined war-path roam, Idols grotesque adore, the wild, weird
Hal: a tread, The supernatural and direful tapu, droad.
(Present.) Anon there landed on bhis lovely isle Sbrong-sinewed commerce, and bhe Gospel
fair, Sublimely consecrate by holy prayer. The fertile hills and valleys sweetly smile, Majestic cities crown the heights with
. speed, While gallant ships in goodly harbours lie. Unnumberod flocks roam o'er the verdani
mead. And church spires point to Heaven, calm
and high. Two races mingle in the busy mart, Two tongues are spoken by bhe sounding
sea. Two children share alike Zealandia's knee ; Maori and Saxon nosble to her heart From gnome-like haunts aro borne earth's treasures rich and dear, Bravely beneath btie British flag, glidea year on year. Future. Dear isle ! surrounded by unfabhomable depbhs of blue ; Kepb verdant by a thousand sparkling streams, So may thy social bounds be girded by the true, So irrigated by Love's purest gleams, And whab a glorious future shall bo thine! Long as the Starry Cross shines on thy seagirt sbrand, Till on bhe pago of Time, thy history grand, Inscribed in golden characters, shall shine, Rich in thine own resources, rich in friends, Peace in thy valleys, plenty on thy shore— Thy children seeking lighb and knowledge evermore; Like, dew, tho Heavenly benison descends. Jewelled thy crown, and sceptre fair and free, Queen of bhe South Pacific ! Hail bo Thee! M. A. Sinclair. Queen-street, Thames.
Permanent link to this item
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)
Word Count
322POETRY. Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)
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