Here you will find the Long Poem Tour Abroad of Wilfrid the Great of poet Alexander MacGregor Rose
By Jean Baptiste Trudeau. W'en Queen Victoria calls her peup's For mak' some Jubilee, She sen' for men from all de worl' -- And from her colonie. But mos' of all, she sen' dis word To dis Canadian shore, "If Wilfrid Laurier do not come, I will be glad no more." Den Wilfrid not hard-hearted, he Lif' w'at you call de hat, An' say, "Ma reine, you mus' not fret, For little t'ing lak' dat. "To Londres, on de day in June You mention, I will come, And show you w'at is lak' de French- Canadian gentilhomme." So Wildred sailed across de sea, An' Queen Victoria met, An' w'en she's see him, ah! she is Jus' tickle half to deat'! An' w'en he's kneel, as etiquette Demand, for be correc', She tak' a sword into her han' An' hit him on de neck. An' w'en she do, she smile on him, An' dese de words she say: "Rise up, my true Canadian Knight -- Sir Wilfrid Laurier! "An' on dose grand Imperial plans Which I have now in view, For guidance, counsel, an' advice I'll always look to you." Den Wilfrid kiss de Royal han', An' back off on de door, An' bow as only Frenchman can, An' smile an' bow some more. Nex' day, it was a glorious sight, At half-pas' twelve o'clock, To see Sir Wilfrid ride in state, An' in chapeau de coque. Lords Solsby, Roberts, and Cecil Rhodes, An' Chamberlain an' dose Were w'at you call "not in it," for Sir Wilfrid was de boss. Oui, certainement, excep' de Queen Herself dat glorious day, De greates' man on Angleterre Was Wilfrid Laurier. VISITS PARIS. Sir Wilfrid cross de Channel den, Mak' visit La Patrie, An' mak' fine speeches two or three In de city of Paree. An' shak' de han', an' drink de vin Mit Faure de Presiden', An' show him what de kin' of man Dis contrie represen'. An' w'en Dir Wilfrid's voice dey hear, An' his fine shape dey see, De men of France was hall surprise, De ladies hall epris. Den Monsieur Faure he rise an say, "Sir Wilfrid Laurier, In de Legion d'Honneur you are Un grand officier." An' to Sir Wilfrid, front dem hall, He mak' some fine address, An' den ribbon wit' de star He pin upon his breas'. En bref, our Wilfrid capture France, He's capture Anglan', too; I t'ink he will annex dem both To Canada -- don' you? SIR WILFRID'S RETURN. Sir Wilfrid, tired of Jubilee An' glorie an' eclat, He says, "Dese contrie dey ees not Lak' my own Canada. "I wan' my own dear lan' for see An' de St. Laurent gran', An' hear again de French he spik Mon bonhomme habitan!" Den to the Queen an' Monsieur Faure Hees "au revoirs" he say, "I mus' go back on ole Kebec, An' Mo'real dis day. "An' I mus go an help toujours, Lor' Aberdeen mak' law, An' keep dem Tory boodler from De safe in Ottawa. "An' help Sir Olivair, Sir Deek An' Tarte mak' politique, An' keep Sir Tuppair an' hees gang From play some crooked trique." So, on de "Labrador" he sail, On Canada he come, We hall be glad his face to see, An' he ees glad be home. An' hall de Angleesh, Ireesh, Franch 'Roun hees triomphan' car, Say, "Bienvenu! Come, spok to us Upon de Champ de Mars." Sir Wilfrid tole us dat he drink Dose vins mit' Monsieur Faure, An' dine on Windsor -- so he tole Us on de Champ de Mars. Den hall de peup' dey mak' big cheer, De cannon dey mak' shoot, We hall be on one grand hoorau, De steamboats on a toot. So we hall sing, "God bless de Queen! An' Monsieur Faure, alway! Because dey treat all same lak' prince, Our Wilfrid Laurier."