Burnt River Stream

By David Chalmers

A poem about love and life at Kinmount, originally published in 1910.

David Chalmers was early settler at Kinmount who was writing about meeting his wife, Eliza Gilmour. His family would remain in the area for generations.

Thirty years ago I ramble—from Snowdenville I came,

I passed an unnamed village by; Kinmount is now its name,

Its houses they were scanty then, but this is not my theme,

But of a pretty maid I met, and of Burnt River Stream

This deep dark and silent river is yet unknown to fame,

No poet yet its praise has sung or gloried in its name.

To sing the praise of one I love—I take that for my theme,

A maid I met upon the bridge of Burnt River Stream.

This maid was a farmer’s daughter, her name I knew it well,

With other maids she rambled out just why she could not tell,

But now it’s clear to her and me, it is not now a dream

Why then we met upon that bridge, the first across thy stream.

Our sons were three in number, our daughters they were seven.
Six of those daughters yet with us, the other is in heaven.

And all of them upon thy banks have spent their youthful prime,

They’ve sported in thy waters dark and boated on thy stream.

Now since I’ve sung thy praises and put thy name in rhyme,

Some brighter maid may give the fame and make they name to shine.

For brothers three are yet with thee, still in thy waters dream,

For ages rocked, embraced and locked, in the arms of thy stream.