The Skater
by @mandolinda
Liner Notes
#deadlyricists #girlwithguitar #ohcanada Charles G.D. Roberts (1860–1943) was a Canadian poet, writer, and professor, often called the "Father of Canadian Poetry." He was one of the first poets to gain international recognition for Canadian literature and was a leading figure in the Confederation Poets, a group that included Archibald Lampman, Bliss Carman, and Duncan Campbell Scott.
Key Facts About Roberts: Born in Douglas, New Brunswick, Canada He wrote about nature, landscapes, and Canadian identity Played a role in shaping early Canadian nationalism through literature Also wrote animal stories, which influenced later writers like Ernest Thompson Seton Nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1926
Lyrics
The Skater By Charles G.D. Roberts My glad feet shod with the glittering steel I was the god of the wingèd heel. The hills in the far white level shone, And the west wind sang, and my hair was blown. Like Mercury cleaving the ambient blue, On the wing of the winds, as my skates I flew. And the crackle and cranch of the smitten ice Was sweet to my ear as a lover’s voice. With bending body and eager stride, I fled on the track of the tingling tide, Or leaped the lines of the yellow lights, That the sundown paints on the rifted nights. At last I slowed in my pace, and turned, And breathed the fragrance the frost had burned, And saw on the luminous evening star, How magical, strange, and sweet things are.
Comments
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/d71d09f8-cbed-4154-a8eb-9375ca3b8889.png){kind=avatar}
wow, that's some poem--- very interesting images here, a bit reminicent of that famous robert frost poem (which I ended up setting to music this fawm, by coincidence). You do a great job here and really bringing out all the detail of this in a tuneful and melodic and natural sounding way... nice!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/31217.png){kind=avatar}
I love the places where your tune soars to match the majesty of the poetry here. Your guitar is just the right quiet accompaniment to lend it a beautiful tone.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/5389.png){kind=avatar}
I had forgotten this poem. Thank you for bringing it to life so sweetly.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/70d470e8-1b96-45d2-8fd9-eb0f24f6d18c.png){kind=avatar}
This sounds like those old recordings that are part of public domain, collected from people by someone just going around with a recorder. Has a really nice melancholy and sort of "life well lived" quality.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/5ee6487f-edf6-47b1-a0a5-c68600288891.png){kind=avatar}
Lovely writing for sure and your style is spot on to bring to musical life!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/9e0df467-bcaa-4bf4-9ebd-d06b437a3728.png){kind=avatar}
Oh you did such a marvelous job with this lyric… the melody flows so beautifully and your vocals are lovely!!! Really beautiful!
![[FAWM]](/static/img/ukulelecorn.svg)
I really enjoyed this. You did well picking a bit to be a chorus.