Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904. | | | | IV. Inland Waters: Highlands | | The Snows | | Charles Sangster (1822–1893) |
| | | OVER the Snows 1 | |
| Buoyantly goes | |
| The lumberers’ bark canoe: | |
| Lightly they sweep, | |
| Wilder each leap, | 5 |
| Rending the white-caps through. | |
| Away! Away! | |
| With the speed of a startled deer, | |
| While the steersman true | |
| And his laughing crew | 10 |
| Sing of their wild career: | |
| |
| “Mariners glide | |
| Far o’er the tide | |
| In ships that are stanch and strong: | |
| Safely as they | 15 |
| Speed we away, | |
| Waking the woods with song.” | |
| Away! Away! | |
| With the speed of a startled deer, | |
| While the laughing crew | 20 |
| Of the swift canoe | |
| Sing of the raftsmen’s cheer: | |
| |
| “Through forest and brake, | |
| O’er rapid and lake, | |
| We ’re sport for the sun and rain; | 25 |
| Free as the child | |
| Of the Arab wild, | |
| Hardened to toil and pain. | |
| Away! Away! | |
| With the speed of a startled deer, | 30 |
| While our buoyant flight | |
| And the rapid’s might | |
| Heighten our swift career.” | |
| |
| Over the Snows | |
| Buoyantly goes | 35 |
| The lumberers’ bark canoe: | |
| Lightly they sweep, | |
| Wilder each leap, | |
| Tearing the white-caps through. | |
| Away! Away! | 40 |
| With the speed of a startled deer, | |
| There ’s a fearless crew | |
| In each light canoe | |
| To sing of the raftsmen’s cheer. | |
| | | Note 1. The name given to a foaming rapid on the Upper Ottawa River, in Canada. [back] | | |
|
|
|
