Farewell, dear Brisbane, to thy fond-loved haunts ---
Thy sunny skies, thy river rippling by,
Thy charming banks, of pleasant sun and shade,
Thy smiling hills, with verdure richly drest!
Thy habitations nestling in the vales,
Adorning slopes, or crowning summits high!
Brisbane --- reposing in thy wealth and pride,
Thy streets proclaim that Plutus is thy guest;
Long may his visit be! though other ports
Wish enviously for thy renowned fame.
May valued Commerce ever on thee gaze!
And Liberty o'erwatch thy every path!
May peace and plenty reign around those hills!
May war molesting ne'er disturb their rest!
Again --- and yet again --- through memory's glass
We view each spot endeared by time and thought;
Again we see thy landscape smiling clear ---
Beaming so brightly 'neath the morning sun!
Again we see the golden sunset hour,
When Nature mellows 'neath the ruddy hue,
While daylight melts away in glorious haze,
And stars appear, to herald night's approach.
Loved scene of all! --- the clear and tranquil night!
With busy life suspended. Peace around
Reigns silently, and Nature gladly rests,
Bathing in dew after the heat of day.
Our charms forsake us with advancing time --
Sad age arrests our youth's elastic step;
Though we may keep the fresh spring leaves of Hope,
Yet comes too soon the winter of our life.
Brisbane, such charms as thine will never fade;
No, ne'er be lost, whilst ever flows along
Thy beauteous river, winding in its course;
Thy banks, reflected in its limpid stream,
Preserve thy beauty to an endless day.
Dear Brisbane! though we say "farewell" to thee,
Our hearts due homage pay, though distant far;
And yet a lingering hope still haunts us here ---
A wish that once again we may behold
Those scenes --- if 'tis but to admire them more.
First published in The Queenslander, 19 February 1887
Author: Nothing is known about the author of this poem.
Author reference site: Austlit.
Thy sunny skies, thy river rippling by,
Thy charming banks, of pleasant sun and shade,
Thy smiling hills, with verdure richly drest!
Thy habitations nestling in the vales,
Adorning slopes, or crowning summits high!
Brisbane --- reposing in thy wealth and pride,
Thy streets proclaim that Plutus is thy guest;
Long may his visit be! though other ports
Wish enviously for thy renowned fame.
May valued Commerce ever on thee gaze!
And Liberty o'erwatch thy every path!
May peace and plenty reign around those hills!
May war molesting ne'er disturb their rest!
Again --- and yet again --- through memory's glass
We view each spot endeared by time and thought;
Again we see thy landscape smiling clear ---
Beaming so brightly 'neath the morning sun!
Again we see the golden sunset hour,
When Nature mellows 'neath the ruddy hue,
While daylight melts away in glorious haze,
And stars appear, to herald night's approach.
Loved scene of all! --- the clear and tranquil night!
With busy life suspended. Peace around
Reigns silently, and Nature gladly rests,
Bathing in dew after the heat of day.
Our charms forsake us with advancing time --
Sad age arrests our youth's elastic step;
Though we may keep the fresh spring leaves of Hope,
Yet comes too soon the winter of our life.
Brisbane, such charms as thine will never fade;
No, ne'er be lost, whilst ever flows along
Thy beauteous river, winding in its course;
Thy banks, reflected in its limpid stream,
Preserve thy beauty to an endless day.
Dear Brisbane! though we say "farewell" to thee,
Our hearts due homage pay, though distant far;
And yet a lingering hope still haunts us here ---
A wish that once again we may behold
Those scenes --- if 'tis but to admire them more.
First published in The Queenslander, 19 February 1887
Author: Nothing is known about the author of this poem.
Author reference site: Austlit.
