Songs of Many Seasons (1862-74) | Page 7

that gnawed below;?Trample them one and all!
Then, when the battle is won,?And the land from traitors free,?Our children shall tell of the strife begun?When Liberty's second April sun?Was bright on our brave old tree!
FREEDOM, OUR QUEEN
LAND where the banners wave last in the sun,?Blazoned with star-clusters, many in one,?Floating o'er prairie and mountain and sea;?Hark! 't is the voice of thy children to thee!
Here at thine altar our vows we renew?Still in thy cause to be loyal and true,--?True to thy flag on the field and the wave,?Living to honor it, dying to save!
Mother of heroes! if perfidy's blight?Fall on a star in thy garland of light,?Sound but one bugle-blast! Lo! at the sign?Armies all panoplied wheel into line!
Hope of the world! thou'hast broken its chains,--?Wear thy bright arms while a tyrant remains,?Stand for the right till the nations shall own?Freedom their sovereign, with Law for her throne!
Freedom! sweet Freedom! our voices resound,?Queen by God's blessing, unsceptred, uncrowned!?Freedom, sweet Freedom, our pulses repeat,?Warm with her life-blood, as long as they beat!
Fold the broad banner-stripes over her breast,--?Crown her with star-jewels Queen of the West!?Earth for her heritage, God for her friend,?She shall reign over us, world without end!
ARMY HYMN
"OLD HUNDRED"
O LORD of Hosts! Almighty King!?Behold the sacrifice we bring?To every arm thy strength impart,?Thy spirit shed through every heart!
Wake in our breasts the living fires,?The holy faith that warmed our sires;?Thy hand hath made our Nation free;?To die for her is serving Thee.
Be Thou a pillared flame to show?The midnight snare, the silent foe;?And when the battle thunders loud,?Still guide us in its moving cloud.
God of all Nations! Sovereign Lord?In thy dread name we draw the sword,?We lift the starry flag on high?That fills with light our stormy sky.
From treason's rent, from murder's stain,?Guard Thou its folds till Peace shall reign,--?Till fort and field, till shore and sea,?Join our loud anthem, PRAISE TO THEE!
PARTING HYMN?"DUNDEE"
FATHER of Mercies, Heavenly Friend,?We seek thy gracious throne;?To Thee our faltering prayers ascend,?Our fainting hearts are known
From blasts that chill, from suns that smite,?From every plague that harms;?In camp and march, in siege and fight,?Protect our men-at-arms
Though from our darkened lives they take?What makes our life most dear,?We yield them for their country's sake?With no relenting tear.
Our blood their flowing veins will shed,?Their wounds our breasts will share;?Oh, save us from the woes we dread,?Or grant us strength to bear!
Let each unhallowed cause that brings?The stern destroyer cease,?Thy flaming angel fold his wings,?And seraphs whisper Peace!
Thine are the sceptre and the sword,?Stretch forth thy mighty hand,--?Reign Thou our kingless nation's Lord,?Rule Thou our throneless land!
THE FLOWER OF LIBERTY
WHAT flower is this that greets the morn,?Its hues from Heaven so freshly born??With burning star and flaming band?It kindles all the sunset land?Oh tell us what its name may be,--?Is this the Flower of Liberty??It is the banner of the free,?The starry Flower of Liberty!
In savage Nature's far abode?Its tender seed our fathers sowed;?The storm-winds rocked its swelling bud,?Its opening leaves were streaked with blood,?Till Lo! earth's tyrants shook to see?The full-blown Flower of Liberty?Then hail the banner of the free,?The starry Flower of Liberty!
Behold its streaming rays unite,?One mingling flood of braided light,--?The red that fires the Southern rose,?With spotless white from Northern snows,?And, spangled o'er its azure, see?The sister Stars of Liberty!?Then hail the banner of the free,?The starry Flower of Liberty!
The blades of heroes fence it round,?Where'er it springs is holy ground;?From tower and dome its glories spread;?It waves where lonely sentries tread;?It makes the land as ocean free,?And plants an empire on the sea!?Then hail the banner of the free,?The starry Flower of Liberty!
Thy sacred leaves, fair Freedom's flower,?Shall ever float on dome and tower,?To all their heavenly colors true,?In blackening frost or crimson dew,--?And God love us as we love thee,?Thrice holy Flower of Liberty!?Then hail the banner of the free,?The starry FLOWER OF LIBERTY!
THE SWEET LITTLE MAN
DEDICATED TO THE STAY-AT-HOME RANGERS
Now, while our soldiers are fighting our battles,?Each at his post to do all that he can,?Down among rebels and contraband chattels,?What are you doing, my sweet little man?
All the brave boys under canvas are sleeping,?All of them pressing to march with the van,?Far from the home where their sweethearts are weeping;?What are you waiting for, sweet little man?
You with the terrible warlike mustaches,?Fit for a colonel or chief of a clan,?You with the waist made for sword-belts and sashes,?Where are your shoulder-straps, sweet little man?
Bring him the buttonless garment of woman!?Cover his face lest it freckle and tan;?Muster the Apron-String Guards on the Common,?That is the corps for the sweet little man!
Give him for escort a file of young misses,?Each of them armed with a deadly rattan;?They shall defend him from laughter and hisses,?Aimed by low boys at the sweet little man.
All the fair maidens about him shall cluster,?Pluck the