Poetry Archives

Memory gleams like a gem at night
  Through the gloom of to-day for me,
Bringing dreams of a summer bright
          At Chateauguay.

Summer sleeps in the ripening corn,
  Sunlight glitters on wood and lea,
Scent of flowers on the air is borne
          At Chateauguay.

Swiftly rushes the river by,
  Through the lake to the far-off sea,
Full of light as a maiden’s eye,
          At Chateauguay.

Stands a house by the river side,
  (Weeds upspring where the hearth should be),
Only its tottering walls abide
         At Chateauguay.

Birds are singing the live-long day,
  Trembling, stoopeth an aspen tree.
Eager to hear what the wind will say
          At Chateauguay.

Still the sunlight around me falls,
  Still in fancy I seem to see
Two who stand on the crumbling walls
          At Chateauguay.

Once more wanders a brown-eyed maid
  Up the rough, country road with me,
Swinging her hat by its slender braid,
          At Chateauguay.

Once for a moment more we stay
   Under the tattling aspen tree—
Birds are sweetly lilting to-day
          At Chateauguay.

Tree, thou art dear for that sweet tryst,
  Dear, for the maiden’s sake, to me
Is each spot that her feet have kissed
          At Chateauguay.