{
 "id": "james-mcintyre/prologue-to-south-ontario-sketches",
 "title": "Prologue to South Ontario Sketches",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "James McIntyre",
 "poet_slug": "james-mcintyre",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Musings on the Banks of Canadian Thames",
 "book_slug": "musings-on-the-banks-of-canadian-thames",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": null,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1884,
  "venue": "Musings on the Banks of Canadian Thames (1884)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/james-mcintyre_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36068",
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 34,
  "n_stanzas": 1,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 41,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "My friends we sing Canadian themes,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For in them we proudly glory,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Her lakes and rivers and her streams,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Worthy of renown in story;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And in these leaves we hope is strewn",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Some wheat among the chaff,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And maple boughs by rude axe hewn,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where one may find a rustic staff;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To help him o’er the rugged lines",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "If he to weariness inclines.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Some see no beauties near to home,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But do admire the distant far,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "They always love abroad to roam,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "View glory in but far off star;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But let it never be forgot",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That distant hills when closer seen",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Are after all a barren spot",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not like your own hills clad in green;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "You’ll find they are but idle dreams",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To seek for happiness afar.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "At home there’s lovely lakes and streams,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Remain content now where you are;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "At us we hope you will not rage",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Because we sing of local charms",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "In each varied town and village",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As well as round our local farms,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But our address it must be brief,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So now we bid you all adieu,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But of our book pray read each leaf",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Until the whole you have gone through;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Each one doth know it is not wise,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though our songs may not be vocal,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Chants of our home for to despise,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But prize them ’cause they are local.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}