Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TERRAPIN WAR, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TERRAPIN WAR, by                    
First Line: "huzza for our liberty, boys"
Last Line: "and drive them headlong in the waters. / oh, this is great terrapin war!"
Subject(s): War Of 1812


HUZZA for our liberty, boys,
These are the days of our glory --
The days of true national joys,
When terrapins gallop before ye!
There's Porter and Grundy and Rhea,
In Congress who manfully vapor,
Who draw their six dollars a day,
And fight bloody battles on paper!
Ah! this is true Terrapin war.

Poor Madison the tremors has got,
'Bout this same arming the nation;
Too far to retract, he cannot
Go on -- and he loses his station.
Then bring up your "regulars," lads,
In "attitude" nothing ye lack, sirs,
Ye'll frighten to death the Danads,
With fire-coals blazing aback, sirs!
Oh, this is true Terrapin war!

As to powder and bullets and swords,
For, as they were never intended,
They're a parcel of high-sounding words,
But never to action extended.
Ye must frighten the rascals away,
In "rapid descent" on their quarters;
Then the plunder divide as ye may,
And drive them headlong in the waters
Oh, this is great Terrapin war!





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