Page:The Five Nations.djvu/120

 THE YOUNG QUEEN

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, INAUGURATED NEW YEAR'S DAY 1901)

hand was still on her sword-hilt, the spur was still on her heel,

She had not cast her harness of grey war-dinted steel;

High on her red-splashed charger, beautiful, bold, and browned,

Bright-eyed out of the battle, the Young Queen rode to be crowned.

She came to the Old Queen's presence, in the Hall of Our Thousand Years—

In the Hall of the Five Free Nations that are peers among their peers:

Royal she gave the greeting, loyal she bowed the head,

Crying—"Crown me, my Mother!" And the Old Queen stood and said:—

100