Original Poetry.

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 16

Original Poetry.

O T A G 0.

The old Dunedin of the north

Is silent in each palace gate, Where mail-clad chieftains bent their plumes When Scotland's kings rode forth in state. The grass grows green on Arthur's Seat, The highland hills are dark and dim ; Still round the islands of the Forth

Among the foam the sea-birds swim.

The new Dunedin of the south

Queen city of the islands three, Looks down with pride from terraced hills Upon a wilder stretch of aea. S3cure, upon the haven heights, _ The English flag has fluttered free, Since first tha white man sprang to land, And moored his whaleboat to the tree, The bush has blossomed, and the plain Is waving rich with grasses green ; Where once the listless savage roamed, And ripening harvests ne'er were seen. Far in the wild! the shepherd strays : And trickling like a thousand rills, From white peaks where the snow-flake lies,

The sheep come bleating down the hill*. Although the akies are scored with storms, When through the gorge the wind blowi cold; The streams ran down in precious sando, The rocks arerichly ribbed with gold. Remote, in many a dark ravine, The miner toils, nor toils in vain ; A patient man, to hardship s:eel'd, Nor wholly bent on passing gam. In many a sweet sequestered nook The woodman's cot and garden gay, Half seen through openings of the wood, Delight the wanderer on his way. Yes ! time is swift ; how soon it Hies !

We never count the days and years j Yet every day gives up its gift, And every changing season cheers. James Lockhart.

Port Chalmers, 2ht September, 1868.