OH COUNTRY, marvel of the earth! Oh realm to sudden greatness grown! The age that gloried in thy birth, Shall it behold thee overthrown? Shall traitors lay that greatness low? No, land of Hope and Blessing, No! And we, who wear thy glorious name, Shall we, like cravens, stand apart, When those whom thou hast trusted aim The death-blow at thy generous heart? Forth goes the battle-cry, and lo! Hosts rise in harness, shouting, No! And they who founded, in our land, The power that rules from sea to sea, Bled they in vain, or vainly planned To leave their country great and free? Their sleeping ashes, from below, Send up the thrilling murmur, No! Knit they the gentle ties which long These sister States were proud to wear, And forged the kindly links so strong For idle hands in sport to tear? For scornful hands aside to throw? No, by our fathers' memory, No! Our humming marts, our iron ways, Our wind-tossed woods on mountain-crest, The hoarse Atlantic, with its bays, The calm, broad Ocean of the West, And Mississippi's torrent-flow, And loud Niagara, answer, No! Not yet the hour is nigh when they Who deep in Eld's dim twilight sit, Earth's ancient kings, shall rise and say, "Proud country, welcome to the pit! So soon art thou, like us, brought low!" No, sullen group of shadows, No! For now, behold, the arm that gave The victory in our fathers' day, Strong, as of old, to guard and save-- That mighty arm which none can stay-- On clouds above and fields below, Writes, in men's sight, the answer, No! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...KEATS; SONNET by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE LITTLE HILL by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY THE OLD SERGEANT by BYRON FORCEYTHE WILLSON THE MORAL FABLES: THE SWALLOW, AND THE OTHER BIRDS by AESOP THE IVORY CRADLE by AUGUSTE ANGELLIER LEGEND OF HAMILTON TIGHE by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM TO MR. WILLIAM BASSE UPON THE NOW PUBLISHING OF HIS POEMS by RALPH BATHURST |