free-verse29 lines
The Lake Allumette.
by Nora Pembroke (Margaret Moran Dixon McDougall)"One is not."
Have you seen the beautiful Allumette,
The magnificent pine-fringed lake,
In its splendour the sun about to set,
Ere the fair lady moon awake.
The waters are tinged with a golden glow,
With rose and ruby and purple bars;
Heaven's mantle flung on the lake below
Till it fades off beneath the stars.
The distant hills, robed in violet mist
Of the heavenly hues partake,
As they stand, with the sunlight crowned and kissed,
On guard round the beautiful lake.
Over the waters ride gay little boats,
Diamonds flash from the dipping oars;
Laughter and song's mingled melody floats
To ripple and die around the shores.
Life is so gay on the Lake Allumette,
Ah me! does its sky ever frown
On a place unmarked, unheeded, and yet
In that place my brother went down.
Sad hearted we sit by Lake Allumette,
Who saw him go down in the wave;
And question ourselves in anguished regret,
Did we make every effort to save?
For those who are left, to some one so dear.
We tried feebly warning to set,
We have failed, we look with sorrow and fear
For woe that must come by Lake Allumette.