Blair Collection > Poems and songs

34 GAELIC AND ENC4LISH POEMS.
Ai'e not the noblest crown that doth thee grace,
Learning and virtue round thee virtiie shed.
When musing in those bowers at morn or eve,
Tho' fancy with her beauteous wings a-fold
No longer youth's own fairy visions weave,
Be thine, O Blackie, countless thoughts of gold.
From the rich chalice of the ancient sage,
Get precious draughts for the aspiring youth,
Unseal the beauties of the classic page.
To fire his soul with nobleness and truth.
Then bright young reapers to the harvest come,
Led by thine eye will bind their golden sheaves,
And when they sing their joyous harvest home.
They'll bless the hand that gave their laurel leaves.
BIRTHDAY ACROSTIC.
W ALLACE, be thou as Wallace brave,
A s Wallace be thou good and great,
L oyal and noble, kind and grave ;
L ove all that's good, the evil hate.
A s God gives spring her countless leaves,
C rowns summer with the fragrant rose,
E nriches autumn with her sheaves,
K eeps for the winter frosts and snows,
E ven so thy spring be glad dear bo)',
N o blighting frost of care or pain,
T hy manhood crowned with purest joy.
C hoice be thy store of garnered grain ;
O f winter days we must not dream ;
L o, golden crocus, snowdrop white,
Q uickly upspring where sun's warm beam
TJ pon the earth pours silvery light ;
H ow bright the promise, and how blest !
O h ! may it to fruition rise,
U ntil, earth's bii-thdays o'er, thou'lt rest
N ear to God's throne in Paradise !