| William Wilfred Campbell, comp. The Oxford Book of Canadian Verse. 1913. | | | | Empire First | | By John Talon-Lespérance (1835–1891) |
| | | SHALL we break the plight of youth, | |
| And pledge us to an alien love? | |
| No! We hold our faith and truth, | |
| Trusting to the God above. | |
| Stand, Canadians, firmly stand | 5 |
| Round the flag of fatherland! | |
| |
| Britain bore us in her flank, | |
| Britain nursed us at our birth, | |
| Britain reared us to our rank | |
| ’Mid the nations of the earth. | 10 |
| Stand, Canadians, firmly stand | |
| Round the flag of fatherland! | |
| |
| In the hour of pain and dread, | |
| In the gathering of the storm, | |
| Britain raised above our head | 15 |
| Her broad shield and sheltering arm. | |
| Stand, Canadians, firmly stand | |
| Round the flag of fatherland! | |
| |
| O triune Kingdom of the brave, | |
| O sea-girt Island of the free, | 20 |
| O Empire of the land and wave, | |
| Our hearts, our hands, are all for thee! | |
| Stand, Canadians, firmly stand | |
| Round the flag of fatherland! | | | | |
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