Songs for Sailors :: :: University of Virginia Library

Listening with awe and wonder,
England, thou well mayst stand.
Hark! crash upon crash, war's thunder
Rolls o'er the Frenchmen's land:
To-day thou in peace art dwelling;
Yet is not that awful sound
To thee, too, the warning telling
It tells to the nations round?
If thou would'st secure be living,
Thy safety is in thy sword;
Good heed to thy arms be giving:
Yes, England, stand to thy guard!

Put not trust in thy olden glory;
In thy past, thou wast mighty; true:
Such deeds as it gave to story,
To-day thou may'st have to do;
But yesterday, little dreading,
Men looked not for sudden strife;
To-day, red battle-fields treading,
Armed Germany strikes for life:
And if thou would'st secure be living,
Look at once to war-ship and sword:
Good heed to thy arms be giving:
Yes, England, stand to thy guard!

Close your ranks, brothers all; who mutters
Of discord or party? none;
While war its dread warning utters,
To-day and henceforth we're one;
Oh Motherland, look upon us
And gladden with pride to see,
When for service thou callest on us,
How faithful thy sons can be;
That thou shalt secure be living,
Look, Mother, we grasp the sword;
Good heed to our arms we're giving:
Yes, England, we stand to our guard!