'HOPE no more for fatherland, All its ranks are thinned or broken;' Long a base and coward band Recreant words like these have spoken: But we preach a land awoken; Fatherland is true and tried As your fears are false and hollow; Slaves and dastards, stand aside -- Knaves and traitors, 'Fag an Bealagh!' Know, ye suffering brethren ours, Might is strong, but Right is stronger; Saxon wiles or Saxon pow'rs Can enslave our land no longer Than your own dissensions wrong her; Be ye one in might and mind -- Quit the mire where cravens wallow -- And your foes shall flee like wind From your fearless 'Fag an Bealagh!' Thus the mighty multitude Speak in accents hoarse with sorrow: 'We are fallen, but unsubdued; Show us whence we hope may borrow, And we'll fight your fight to-morrow. Be but cautious, true, and brave, Where you lead us we will follow; Hill and valley, rock and wave, Soon shall hear our "Fag an Bealagh!"' Fling our banner to the wind, Studded o'er with names of glory; Worth, and wit, and might, and mind, Poet young, and patriot hoary, Long shall make it shine in story. Close your ranks -- the moment's come -- Now, ye men of Ireland! follow; Friends of Freedom, charge them home -- Foes of Freedom, 'Fag an Bealagh!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FESSEDEN'S GARDEN by ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN ON EDWARD WEBBE, ENGLISH GUNNER by WILLIAM ROSE BENET THE DIFFERENCE by ANGELO PHILIP BERTOCCI THY DAYS ARE DONE by GEORGE GORDON BYRON TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. THE BRITISH, A.D. 1901 by EDWARD CARPENTER ON A MISTAKE IN HIS TRANSLATION OF HOMER by WILLIAM COWPER |