Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODE; FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WASHINGTON LIGHT INFANTRY, by CHARLES SPRAGUE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODE; FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WASHINGTON LIGHT INFANTRY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The bugle is hushed, and the war-blade is sheathed
Last Line: "sleep, spoiler of nations, the slumber of time!"
Subject(s): American Revolution; Lafayette, Marie Joseph, Marquis De; Presidents, United States; Veterans; Washington, George (1732-1799)


THE bugle is hushed, and the war-blade is sheathed,
Whose flash in the sunbeam to triumph directed;
The olive's green branch with the laurel is wreathed,
And Content tills the valley that Courage protected.
Go on, lovely Peace,
Bid the war-tempest cease,
Till the isles of the ocean thy kingdom increase,
And the ends of the earth swell thy chorus sublime —
"Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!"

Round the festival board with full hearts we unite,
And pour to our fathers Fame's purest libation; —
The brave ones who grappled the foe in the fight,
The bold ones who spoke and gave name to a nation!
To the great and the good,
Who for Liberty stood,
And traced her proud charter in letters of blood; —
Then raised their glad notes in the chorus sublime —
"Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!"

O Washington! dearest and best of our race!
Thy deeds through the night-cloud of ages shall lighten!
Thy name on his banner the soldier shall trace,
To hallow his death, or his triumph to brighten! —
Nor thee, Lafayette!
Shall our anthem forget,
Whose arm hurled the bolt where the battle-clouds met;
Then who joined with our sires in the chorus sublime —
"Sleep, red-armed Destroyer, the slumber of Time!"

Now the bumper-pledge drain — for ourselves let it flow!
May no arm the bright links of our brotherhood sever;
With a heart for each friend, and a blade for each foe,
Front face! to the board and the battle forever!
In mirth and in might,
Fellow-soldiers, unite —
Hand to hand at the feast, hand to hand in the fight!
In freedom and peace swell the chorus sublime —
"Sleep, Spoiler of nations, the slumber of Time!"





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