The Heart of Canada

Alfred Noyes

July 1912

Because her heart is all too proud
—Canada! Canada! fair young Canada—
To breathe the might of her love aloud,
Be quick, O Motherland!
Because her soul is wholly free
—Canada kneels, thy daughter, Canada—
England, look in her eyes and see,
Honour and understand.

Because her pride at thy masthead shines,
—Canada! Canada!—queenly Canada
Bows with all her breathing pines,
All her fragrant firs.
Because our isle is little and old
—Canada! Canada!—young-eyed Canada
Gives thee, Mother, her hands to hold,
And makes thy glory hers.

Because thy Fleet is hers for aye,
—Canada! Canada!—clear-souled Canada,
Ere the war-cloud roll this way,
Bids the world beware.
Her heart, her soul, her sword are thine
—Thine the guns, the guns of Canada!—
The ships are foaming into line,
And Canada will be there.

Two years before the outbreak of World War I, this is an example of Noyes active encouragement of military support for the UK from North America. Noyes spent a lot of time in North America and was a passionate advocate for Canadian and US involvement in World War I. Canada declared war on Germany immediately on the outbreak of war in August 1914. The USA finally entered the war against Germany in 1917.


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