"O Canada" and Poetic Judges

With Monday October 13th being Canada's Thanksgiving, I will be posting a few patriotic post over the next few days. (see personal note below)

"O Canada" and Poetic Judges

Did you know that ''O Canada'' was originally a poem written in French by Adolphe-Basile Routhier, a Quebec judge? Canadian composer Calixa Lavalléée was commissioned to set it to music, and it was first sung in 1880 during a national convention of French Canadians in Quéébec City.

The English version was written, oddly enough, by another judge, Robert Stanley Weir. Judge Weir''s poem was penned in 1908 to honour the 300th anniversary of the founding of Quéébec City.

A slightly modified version of the first verse of Weir''s poem was proclaimed Canada''s national anthem on July 1, 1980.

Here is his complete poem:

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North, strong and free!
And stand on guard, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.

Refrain

O Canada, glorious and free!
We stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
>From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!

Refrain

O Canada, glorious and free!
We stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
>From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free!

Refrain

O Canada, glorious and free!
We stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.

Refrain

O Canada, glorious and free!
We stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

As an American by birth, and a Canadian by choice, I learned to sing the first verse like this -

O Canada! Our home and chosen land!