Canada's Eighteen.

    At Paardeberg they fell,
        Within the Orange State;
    They did their duty well;
        They bravely met their fate.

    A stubborn fight they made
        Upon the level plain,
    While from the barricade
        The bullets poured like rain.

    They fiercely charged the trench;
        They took the outer line;
    Who saw a visage blench?
        Who heard a voice repine?

    They bore the ruthless fire;
        But deadly was the cost:
    They lived not to retire,
        Nor saw their capture lost.

    No lustrous deed they wrought
        To prompt the epic pen:
    They only bravely fought,
        And gave their lives like men.

    And yet no hero's fame
        That rings across the seas,
    Shall e'er eclipse the name
        And memory of these.

    While suns shall rise and set
        Upon the fatal scene,
    We never shall forget
        Our Canada's Eighteen.

    And now, as Britain weaves
        The garland of her grief,
    We place among the leaves
        A blood-red maple leaf.

W. M. MacKeracher

W. M. MacKeracher was a poet known for his contributions to Canadian literature during the early 20th century. His works often focused on themes of nature, human emotion, and the simplicity of rural life. Though not as widely known as some of his contemporaries, MacKeracher's poetry has been appreciated for its lyrical quality and depth. Much of his work was published in regional journals and anthologies, capturing the essence of Canadian landscapes and the human experience within them. His exact birth and death dates remain obscure.

W. M. MacKeracher

Autumn.

W. M. MacKeracher, Simple Poetry

Before Harvest.

W. M. MacKeracher, Simple Poetry

My Two Boys.

W. M. MacKeracher, Simple Poetry

Scene in the Trojan War.

W. M. MacKeracher, Simple Poetry

English

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