The Great Fire of Ingersoll

Written at the time of the disaster.

'Twas on a pleasant eve in May.
Just as the sun shed its last ray,
The bell it rang, citizens to warn,
For lo ! a fire appears in barn.

An ancient barn near hotel stood,
The joining buildings all were wood ;
This barn a relic of the past,
There farmers' horses were made fast.

Our once fair town is now in woe,
And we have had our Chicago ;
But soon a nobler town will rise,
For Ingersoll's all enterprise.

For water far town need not seek,
As there is river and the creek
Just find the means it to apply

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poem by James McIntyre
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A Bird's Nest

An old man, who had charge of field,
With pride he saw two birds did build
A broad, capacious, warm nest ;
Soon full of young with speckled breast.

And when the old man there did pass,
They soon ran merry 'mong the grass ;
But of the youth they were so shy,
They made strong efforts for to fly.

Youths tried with old man to prevail,
To let them blaze away at quail;
But, though they longed for a fat pot,
At them they never got a shot.

No more the old man doth them shield,
For they have flown to broader field ;
Long may they spread their wings and tail,
And may no foe them 'ere assail.

poem by James McIntyre
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Life in the woods

Lines on the struggles of the early settlers.

Canada hath wealthy yeoman
Whose fathers overcame the foeman ;
The enemy they boldly slew
Was mighty forest they did hew,
And where they burned heaps of slain
Their sons now reap the golden grain ;
But in the region of North West,
With prairie farms they are blest ;
Though this to them it may seem good
Yet many blessings come from wood.
It shelters you from fierce storm,
And in the winter keeps you warm ;
For one who hath his forest trees
He builds his house and barn with ease,
And how quick he gets from thence
Timber for bridge and for his fence.

poem by James McIntyre
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Lines on London

They once in wilderness did ride
On beast with horn and shaggy hide-
A savage goat or unicorn,
But now parade in uniform ;
As gay as ancient Knight or Lord,
With their grand plumes, and belt and swords.

Their graceful movements at their drill
Doth all with admiration fill,
And the chief glory it was won
By the encampment of London ;
For they at every tournament
For drill are the chief ornament.

So skillfully they sword do wield,
Victorious on every field ;
For victory's graven on their shield
Doth make their rivals for to yield ;
Drill companies they out maneuver
From Newfoundland to Vancouver.

poem by James McIntyre
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Lines

Addressed to Jonathan Wingle, Esq.

In summer time we roam o'er dingle,
But winter draws us round the ingle ;
Why do you remain thus single,
When love would make two hearts tingle ?
Pray tell me why, my dearest Wingle,
With the fair you do not mingle ?
Better with love 'neath cot of shingle
Than all your yellow gold to jingle.

For married life you would enjoy,
And soon a little girl and boy
They would your leisure hours employ.
At Christmas you could buy each toy
And fill their little hearts with joy,
For their amusements never cloy.
Business cares do men annoy,
Child's happiness knows no alloy.

poem by James McIntyre
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Lines on a Fountain

We love cold water as it flows from the fountain,
Which nature hath brewed alone in the mountain,
In the wild woods and in the rocky dell
Where man hath not been but the deer loves to dwell,
And away across the sea in far distant lands
In Asia's gloomy jungles and Africa's drifting sands,
Where to the thirsty traveller a charming spot of green
Is by far the rarest gem his eyes have ever seen.
And when he hath quenched his thirst at the cooling spring,
With many grateful songs he makes the air to ring.
For many nights he dreams of this scene of bliss,
And when he thinks of Heaven it is of such as this.

poem by James McIntyre
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Nuptial Ode on Canada

Written during the visit of delegates from the Lower Provinces
to negotiate for confederation.

Hail Britannia's noblest daughter,
Who is surrounded by the water
Of many a lake and broad sea,
Land of Beaver and Maple Tree.

Her lofty brow is wreathed with smiles,
For, from the far Atlantic isles
In pomp, have come their delegates,
All seeking to unite their fates

With Canada, great Northern Queen.
And now, throughout the land, is seen
High festival and stately dance,
Triumphant nuptials to advance.

And soon shall Red River valley
And distant Vancouver, rally

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poem by James McIntyre
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O For A Lodge

'O for a Lodge in some vast wilderness,'
A man cryed out in his distress,
For he was tired and sick of life,
And weary of this worldly strife,
And longed for to be far away
From the continuous daily fray.

But the fond partner of his life,
His own dearest, loving wife,
Those sentiments did not admire,
For fiercely they did rouse her ire.
Said she. ' I'll never let you budge,
To go and join another Lodge;
Your Lodges take six nights each week,
And still another Lodge you seek-
For your whole time they soon will steal,
You won't get home even to a meal,
Continuous abroad you'll roam,
And never enter your own home.'

poem by James McIntyre
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Port Stanley

Lines composed on an excursion to port Stanley, 1883.

In winter time 'tis sad and dreary
For to gaze on stormy Erie,
But here in summer time this port
It is fashionable resort,
For then it is always cheery
For to gaze upon lake Erie.

Or on the steamer you can sail,
All independent of the gale.
Or here the youth can ply the oar
And view the fast receding shore,
And be happy with his dearie
On the bosom of lake Erie.

No one here need ever weary
On the borders of lake Erie,
With quadrille parties at Stanley
And games and sports all so manly,

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poem by James McIntyre
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Lines On The North Of Scotland

Lines on the North of Scotland, delivered in Embro nearly a
quarter of a century ago:

Scotsmen have wandered far and wide,
From Moray Frith to Frith of Clyde;
McDonald, from his sea girt isle,
And Campbell from his broad Argyle-

But chiefly here you have come forth
From those countries of the north;
Some oft have trod Dunrobins's Halls,
And gazed upon its stately walls.

Here to-night in this array
Is Murray, McKenzie and McKay;
And there doth around us stand
The Munroe, Ross and Sutherland.

Your young men have high honour earned;
In all of the professions learned;

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poem by James McIntyre
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