WHEN our fathers crossed the ocean In the glorious days gone by, They breathed their deep emotion In many a tear and sigh -- Tho' a brighter lay before them Than the old, old land that bore them And all the wide world knows now That land was Canada. So line up and try us, Whoever would deny us The freedom of our birthright And they'll find us like a wall -- For we are Canadian -- Canadian forever Canadian forever -- Canadian over all. Our fathers came to win us This land beyond recall -- And the same blood flows within us Of Briton, Celt, and Gaul -- Keep alive each glowing ember Of our sireland, but remember Our country is Canadian Whatever may befall. So line up and try us, Whoever would deny us The freedom of our birthright And they'll find us like a wall -- For we are Canadian, Canadian forever, Canadian forever -- Canadian over all. Who can blame them, who can blame us If we tell ourselves with pride How a thousand years to tame us The foe has often tried -- And should e'er the Empire need us, She'll require no chains to lead us, For we are Empire's children -- But Canadian over all. Then line up and try us, Whoever would deny us The freedom of our birthright And they'll find us like a wall -- For we are Canadian, Canadian forever, Canadian forever -- Canadian over all! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MAN WITH THE HOE OUTWITTED by EDWIN MARKHAM SONNET TO GUIDO CAVALCANTI by DANTE ALIGHIERI SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR OPPORTUNITY by JOHN JAMES INGALLS BROODING GRIEF by DAVID HERBERT LAWRENCE BLIGHTERS by SIEGFRIED SASSOON CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE WORKHOUSE by GEORGE ROBERT SIMS BARBARA FRIETCHIE [SEPTEMBER 13, 1862] by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER |