ODE FOR COMMONWEALTH DAY.

Auckland Star, Issue 311, 31 December 1900, Page 5

ODE FOR COMMONWEALTH DAY.

The adjudictors, appointed by the Premier of New South Wales to decide who was entitled to the prize of. 50 guineas offered for the best ode composed for Commonwealth' Day were Mr. Justice Owen, Mr E. Dv Faur (President of the Art 'Gallery),' and Mr Alexander Oliver, B.A. (President of the Land Appeal Court). After a careful perusal, of a large number of compositions, they unhesitatingly selected an ode sent in by Mr George Essex Evans, of Toowoomba,. but asked the author to make three amendments. Curiously enough Mr Evans anticipated the wishes of the adjudicators by forwarding another copy of the _ ode wltlv the very alterations made therein as suggested. The ode is as follows:— ~„- ~ j

Awake! Arise!" The wings of dawn Are beating at the Gates of Day! The morning star has been withdrawn, The silver vapours melt .away! Rise royally, O sun, and crown The shoreward billow, streaming' white, The forelands, and the mountains brown, I With crested light; ...... Flood with soft beams the valleys wide, The mighty plains, the desert sand, Till the New Day has won for bride This Austral land!

Freeborn of Nations, virgin white, Not.won-by blood, nor ringed with steel, Thy. throne is on a loftier height, Deep-rooted in the Commonweal! O thou, l'dr whom the strong have wrought, And poets sung with souls aflame. Born of long hope arid patient thought, j A mighty name— We pledge thee faith that shall not swerve, . Our Land, our Lady, breathing high The thought that makes it love to serve, And life to die!

Now are thy maidens lfnked in lovo Who erst have striven for pride Of

place; ' '■' j Lifted all meaner thoughts above, , ; They greet the.c one in heart and race; She in whose sunlit coves of peace The navies of. the. world may rest, | And bear her wealth of snowy fleece, > Northward and west. And She whose corn and rock-hewn gold: Built that Queen City of the South, | Where the lone billow swept of old Her harbour mouth. .; 1

Come, too, fhpu Sun-maid, in whose veins For ever burns the tropic fire—. Whose cattle roam a thpusand. plajns— ! Come with thy,gold and pearl's for tire; And that sweet Harvester who twines The tender vine arid binds the sheaf: And She, the Western Queen, who iriine^ The desert reef; ' . ' - , And Thou, against whose flowery throne . And orchards green the wave is hurled— Australia claims you; ye are one -. Before the world!

Crown Her—most worthy to be praised-} With eyes uplifted to the morn; For on this day a flag is raised, A triumph won, a nation born! ' And ye, vast.Army of the Dead; v i Prom mine and city, plain and: sea, Who. fought and dared, who toiled and bled,. That this might.be— . ~ ,

Draw round us in this hour of. fate-< This golden harvest of thy hand— With, unseen lips, Oh concentrate. And bless the land!

Eternal Po;wer, Benign,' Supreme,.. ~ ;-.r • Who weigh'st the natipns ; ugon^earth;,^ Without whose aid the Empire-dream And pride of States is nothing worths-,: From, shameless speech and vengeful peia, Prom license veiled in freedom's name/ From greed of gold and scorn of creed, Guard Thou our fame! ' ; In stress of days, that yet may be, , When hope shall rest upon, the sword, In Welfare and Adversity, i Be with us Lord! GEORGE ESSEX EVANS. Toowoomba, Queensland, Oct. 1, 1900. :