 | Poems of home and country |  |
FLING OUT THE BANNER.
Fling out the banner on the breeze,
Shake out each starry fold;
Summon the stalwart soldiers forth,
The mighty and the bold,—
The bell of Freedom from its tower
Its solemn call has tolled.
Shake out each starry fold;
Summon the stalwart soldiers forth,
The mighty and the bold,—
The bell of Freedom from its tower
Its solemn call has tolled.
Marshal the legions for the fight,
The youthful and the brave;
Stand for the noble and the right,
The glorious Union save;
Stand for the cause for which their blood
Our patriot fathers gave.
The youthful and the brave;
Stand for the noble and the right,
The glorious Union save;
Stand for the cause for which their blood
Our patriot fathers gave.
Above the clouds the brilliant sky
Shines in immortal blue;
And light, like Heaven's approving smile,
Streams in its glory through.
Be patient, till the strife is o'er;
Have faith to dare and do.
Shines in immortal blue;
And light, like Heaven's approving smile,
Streams in its glory through.
Be patient, till the strife is o'er;
Have faith to dare and do.
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Bear on our banner, let it tell
The triumph of the brave;
On every breeze that sweeps our hills,
In glory let it wave,
O'er all the land, o'er all our streams,
O'er every soldier's grave.
The triumph of the brave;
On every breeze that sweeps our hills,
In glory let it wave,
O'er all the land, o'er all our streams,
O'er every soldier's grave.
A year of battles! not in vain
This contest of the free;
This rousing of the nation's heart,
Like storms that rouse the sea,—
The fiery test has but refined
The love of liberty.
This contest of the free;
This rousing of the nation's heart,
Like storms that rouse the sea,—
The fiery test has but refined
The love of liberty.
Then fling the banner to the wind,
The emblem of the free;
Strike the sweet harp-tones that proclaim
The reign of liberty,
And bid the melody rebound
From every trembling key.
The emblem of the free;
Strike the sweet harp-tones that proclaim
The reign of liberty,
And bid the melody rebound
From every trembling key.
And count each star that studs the blue,
Whate'er the past has been,
A wayward wanderer welcomed back
To fill its place again,—
A loving band of sister-lights,
Just like the old thirteen.
Whate'er the past has been,
A wayward wanderer welcomed back
To fill its place again,—
A loving band of sister-lights,
Just like the old thirteen.
Strike not one jewel from the crest
The loving mother wore;
Reset the gems upon her breast,
Each where it shone before;
Clasp in the glorious cynosure
The entire dear thirty-four.
The loving mother wore;
Reset the gems upon her breast,
Each where it shone before;
Clasp in the glorious cynosure
The entire dear thirty-four.
| Poems of home and country | |