XVI. TOO long we've borne what freemen ne'er Can breathe and bear again; Be men, at length, and bravely dare To rend the accursed chain! O'er hills and vales we'll sweep along, And raise the inspiring cry; Be this the burden of our song— This day our tyrants die! Let despots league their countless slaves, We mock their vain array, A single sword that Freedom waves Shall sweep whole ranks away. We thirst not for their baser blood— But now our flag's unfurled, Let's onward like a fiery flood, And cleanse the infected world! Hark, hark, the cannon's murderous roar Proclaims the fight begun;— Oh ne'er may freemen hear it more, When once this fight is done! But dauntless now our hearts must be, Our souls in every blow, We'll live and see our country free, Or die and leave it so! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SLANTS AT BUFFALO, NEW YORK by CARL SANDBURG CLOSING TIME AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO by KAREN SWENSON STANZAS FOR MUSIC (1) by GEORGE GORDON BYRON ODE ON THE PLEASURE ARISING FROM VICISSITUDE by THOMAS GRAY THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET by SAMUEL WOODWORTH TO THE ROSE UPON THE ROOD OF TIME by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE UNFORGIVEN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |