Oh, could I as I lift this pen
Mark out thy destiny,
I would have thee happy now as when
Nurs'd at thy mother's knee.
I would have thee cherish'd, free from harm
On this eventful morn,
Bless'd and content, with brow as calm
As the hour that thou wer't born.
On a peaceful pillow thou wouldst sleep,
Thy dreams should pleasant be;
Would God, I had the power to keep
Thy heart from sorrow free.
The flowers of hope thy path would strew,
To walk in manly pride;
All hearts around thee firm and true,
Great good should thee betide.
I've not the power, alas, dear friend
To give thee all I say,
But hope they'll please, the lines I send
Thee, on thy natal day.
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired.
See Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright (January 2019).
This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was in the public domain in Australia in 1996, and no copyright was registered in the U.S. (This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.)
This work was published before January 1, 1927, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.