The Dusty Bookcase: Barrington

01 July 2018

Laura Salverson's 'For Canada' for Canada Day

A poem – and prayer – by Laura Salverson, from Wayside Gleams, her only collection of verse, published in 1925 by McClelland & Stewart.

For Canada

Grant us, O Lord, within the coming year.
Some vision of our noble destiny...

* * * *

Give unto us the strength to face anew
Adversity and sorrows... or again
Good fortune, with that valiant humbleness
Which ever marks a depth of inward grace;
Grant us, we pray, sincere, courageous hearts.
Wide sympathies, with minds that seek to see
In giving joy, and pride in honest toil,
In beauty, truth, and good for all mankind;
For every race, for every land, we pray;
Lift them, O God, from out enthralling thought
And prejudice, that they, directing, find
Thy presence manifest on land and sea.
But last, O Lord, for this is our Canada
We crave Thy blessing and eternal aid;
Keep her fair soul unflinching, aye, and true
That she, among the nations, may arise.
Made string with the greatness from the fount within,
Imbued with love that knows not any death,
This gracious land, so young, so little tried.
O'er-shadow her with Thy own righteousness.
That she may stand a New Jerusalem
Where man, by giving much, may gather more;
Where thy same speech and creed of kindliness
At last take root to flourish far and wide,
Till thereon in very truth become
The citadel of justice on earth.

* * * *

Grant us, O Lord, within the coming year,
The vision of our final destiny —
A nation worthy of her ancient dead —
A fabric perfected from deathless dreams.

In 2014, I bought this first and only edition of Wayside Gleams for one dollar. The dust jacket features an advert for eight other McClelland & Stewart books.