Mapping Indigenous Poetry of North America, 1830-1924

"Canadian Born" by E. Pauline Johnson

We first saw light in Canada, the land beloved of
    God;
We are the pulse of Canada, its marrow and its 
    blood:
And we, the men of Canada, can face the world
    and brag
That we were born in Canada beneath the British
    flag. 
     
Few of us have the blood of kings, few are of courtly
    birth,
But few are vagabonds or rogues of doubtful name
    and worth;
And all have one credential that entitles us to brag—
That we were born in Canada beneath the British
    flag.

We've yet to make our money, we've yet to make 
    our fame,
But we have gold and glory in our clean colonial
    name; 
And every man's a millionaire if only he can brag
That he were born in Canada beneath the British
    flag.

No title and no coronet is half so proudly worn
As that which we inherited as men Canadian born. 
We count no man so noble as the one who makes 
    the brag
That he was born in Canada beneath the British 
    flag.
    
The Dutch may have their Holland, the Spaniard
    have his Spain,
The Yankee to the south of us must south of us remain; 
For not a man dare lift a hand against the men who brag
That they were born in Canada beneath the British 
    flag. 

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