THE bugle is hushed, and the war-blade is sheathed, Whose flash in the sunbeam to triumph directed; The olive's green branch with the laurel is wreathed, And Content tills the valley that Courage protected. Go on, lovely Peace, Bid the war-tempest cease, Till the isles of the ocean thy kingdom increase, And the ends of the earth swell thy chorus sublime — "Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!" Round the festival board with full hearts we unite, And pour to our fathers Fame's purest libation; — The brave ones who grappled the foe in the fight, The bold ones who spoke and gave name to a nation! To the great and the good, Who for Liberty stood, And traced her proud charter in letters of blood; — Then raised their glad notes in the chorus sublime — "Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!" O Washington! dearest and best of our race! Thy deeds through the night-cloud of ages shall lighten! Thy name on his banner the soldier shall trace, To hallow his death, or his triumph to brighten! — Nor thee, Lafayette! Shall our anthem forget, Whose arm hurled the bolt where the battle-clouds met; Then who joined with our sires in the chorus sublime — "Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!" Now the bumper-pledge drain — for ourselves let it flow! May no arm the bright links of our brotherhood sever; With a heart for each friend, and a blade for each foe, Front face! to the board and the battle forever! In mirth and in might, Fellow-soldiers, unite — Hand to hand at the feast, hand to hand in the fight! In freedom and peace swell the chorus sublime — "Sleep, Spoiler of nations, the slumber of Time!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FAREWELL TO LOVE; SONNET by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE WE PARTED IN SILENCE by JULIA CRAWFORD A STRIP OF BLUE by LUCY LARCOM A GOOD PLAY by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON IN MEMORIAM (EASTER 1915) by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS THE AUTHOR'S LAST WORDS TO HIS STUDENTS by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN |