A NATION's birthday breaks in glory! Songs from her hills and valleys rise, And myriad hearts thrill to the story Of freedom's wars and victories; When God's right arm alone was o'er her, And in her name the patriot band With sacred blood baptized their land, And England's lion crouch'd before her! Sons of the Emerald Isle! She bids you rend your chain, And tell the haughty ocean-queen, Ye, too, are free-born men! Long has the world look'd on in sorrow, As Erin's sun-burst set in night; Joy, joy! there breaks a brighter morrow, Behold a beam of morning light! A ray of hope her night redeeming; And she greets it, though there lower England's scaffolds, England's Tower, And though hireling swords are gleaming. Wild shouts on every breeze Come swelling o'er the sea, -- Hark! 't is her starving millions cry, "Give Ireland liberty!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LITTLE BOATIE'; A SLUMBER SONG FOR THE FISHERMAN'S CHILD by HENRY VAN DYKE APRIL - AND DYING by ANNE REEVE ALDRICH THE HAYSWATER BOAT by MATTHEW ARNOLD PSALM 113 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE A POET ENLISTS by AMELIA JOSEPHINE BURR |