De win' is sleepin' in de pine, but O! de <br />night is black! <br />An' all day long de loon bird cry on Lac Waya- <br />gamack- <br />No light is shinin' by de shore for helpin' steer <br />heem t'roo <br />W'en out upon de night, Ubalde he tak' de <br />red canoe. <br /> <br />I hear de paddle dip, dip, dip! wance more I <br />hear de loon- <br />I feel de breeze was show de way for storm <br />dat 's comin' soon, <br />An' den de sky fly open wit' de lightning <br />splittin' t'roo- <br />An' 'way beyon' de point I see de leetle red <br />canoe. <br /> <br />It 's dark again, but lissen how across Waya- <br />gamack <br />De tonder 's roarin' loud, an' now de mount- <br />ains answer back- <br />I wonder wit' de noise lak dat, he hear me, le <br />bon Dieu <br />W'en on ma knee I ax Heem save de leetle red <br />canoe! <br /> <br />Is dat a voice, so far away, it die upon ma hear? <br />Or only win' was foolin' me, an' w'isperin' <br />'Belzemire?' <br />Yaas, yaas, Ubalde, your Belzemire she 's <br />prayin' hard for you- <br />An' den again de lightning come, but w'ere 's <br />de red canoe? <br /> <br />Dey say I 'm mad, dem foolish folk, cos w'en <br />de night is black <br />An' w'en de wave lak snow-dreef come on Lac <br />Wayagamack <br />I tak' de place w'ere long ago we use to sit, us <br />two, <br />An' wait until de lightning bring de leetle red <br />canoe.<br /><br />William Henry Drummond<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-red-canoe/
