FIFTY years have rolled away, Since that high, heroic day, When our fathers, in the fray, Struck the conquering blow! Praise to them — the bold who spoke; — Praise to them — the brave who broke Stern oppression's galling yoke, FIFTY YEARS AGO! Pour the wine of sacrifice, Let the grateful anthem rise, — Shall we e'er resign the prize? — Never — never — no! Hearts and hands shall guard those rights, Bought on Freedom's battle heights, Where he fixed his signal lights, FIFTY YEARS AGO! Swear it! — by the mighty dead, — Those who counselled, those who led; — By the blood your fathers shed, By your mothers' woe; — Swear it! — by the living few, — Those whose breasts were scarred for you, When to freedom's ranks they flew, FIFTY YEARS AGO! By the joys that cluster round, By our vales with plenty crowned, By our hill-tops — holy ground, Rescued from the foe, — Where of old the Indian strayed, Where of old the Pilgrim prayed, Where the patriot drew his blade, FIFTY YEARS AGO! Should again the war-trump peal, There shall Indian firmness seal Pilgrim faith and patriot zeal, Prompt to strike the blow; — There shall valor's work be done; Like the sire shall be the son, Where the fight was waged and won, FIFTY YEARS AGO! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CREPUSCULE DU MATIN; SONNET by AMY LOWELL AN HORATIAN ODE UPON CROMWELL'S RETURN FROM IRELAND by ANDREW MARVELL TO GOD AND IRELAND TRUE by ELLEN O'LEARY IMPROMPTU TO LADY WINCHILSEA by ALEXANDER POPE SING-SONG; A NURSERY RHYME BOOK: 119 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI UPON A SPIDER CATCHING A FLY by EDWARD TAYLOR |