| |
1900
(The Commonwealth of Australia, inaugurated New Year’s Day, 1901)
HER hand was still on her sword-hilt, the spur was still on her heel, | |
| She had not cast her harness of grey, war-dinted steel; | |
| High on her red-splashed charger, beautiful, bold, and browned, | |
| Bright-eyed out of the battle, the Young Queen rode to be crowned. | |
| |
| She came to the Old Queen’s presence, in the Hall of Our Thousand Years— | 5 |
| In the Hall of the Five Free Nations that are peers among their peers: | |
| Royal she gave the greeting, loyal she bowed the head, | |
| Crying—“Crown me, my Mother!” And the Old Queen rose and said:— | |
| |
| “How can I crown thee further? I know whose standard flies | |
| Where the clean surge takes the Leeuwin or the coral barriers rise. | 10 |
| Blood of our foes on thy bridle, and speech of our friends in thy mouth— | |
| How can I crown thee further, O Queen of the Sovereign South? | |
| |
| “Let the Five Free Nations witness!” But the Young Queen answered swift:— | |
| “It shall be crown of Our crowning to hold Our crown for a gift. | |
| In the days when Our folk were feeble thy sword made sure Our lands: | 15 |
| Wherefore We come in power to take Our crown at thy hands.” | |
| |
| And the Old Queen raised and kissed her, and the jealous circlet prest, | |
| Roped with the pearls of the Northland and red with the gold of the West, | |
| Lit with her land’s own opals, levin-hearted, alive, | |
| And the Five-starred Cross above them, for sign of the Nations Five. | 20 |
| |
| So it was done in the Presence—in the Hall of Our Thousand Years, | |
| In the face of the Five Free Nations that have no peer but their peers; | |
| And the Young Queen out of the Southland kneeled down at the Old Queen’s knee, | |
| And asked for a mother’s blessing on the excellent years to be. | |
| |
| And the Old Queen stooped in the stillness where the jewelled head drooped low:— | 25 |
| “Daughter no more but Sister, and doubly Daughter so— | |
| Mother of many princes—and child of the child I bore, | |
| What good thing shall I wish thee that I have not wished before? | |
| |
| “Shall I give thee delight in dominion—mere pride of thy setting forth? | |
| Nay, we be women together—we know what that lust is worth. | 30 |
| Peace in thy utmost borders, and strength on a road untrod? | |
| These are dealt or diminished at the secret will of God. | |
| |
| “I have swayed troublous councils, I am wise in terrible things; | |
| Father and son and grandson, I have known the hearts of the Kings. | |
| Shall I give thee my sleepless wisdom, or the gift all wisdom above? | 35 |
| Ay, we be women together—I give thee thy people’s love: | |
| |
| “Tempered, august, abiding, reluctant of prayers or vows, | |
| Eager in face of peril as thine for thy mother’s house. | |
| God requite thee, my Sister, through the excellent years to be, | |
| And make thy people to love thee as thou hast lovèd me!” | 40 |
| |
