BY J.R.DRAKE
Joseph Rodman Drake (1795-1820): An American poet. He is best known by this patriotic poem. He wrote a longer poem, "The Culprit Fay," narrating the adventures of a fairy who was guilty of loving a mortal maiden. It is graceful in fancy and gives some attractive deions of the scenery along the Hudson River.
When Freedom from her mountain height Unfurled her standard to the air,She tore the azure robe of night, And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes The milky baldric of the skies,And striped its pure celestial white With streakings of the morning light; Then from his mansion in the sun She called her eagle bearer down, And gave into his mighty handThe symbol of her chosen land.
Majestic monarch of the cloud,
Who rear"st aloft thy regal1 form,
1 Regal: kingly.
To hear the tempest trumpings loud And see the lightning lances driven,When stride the warriors of the storm, And rolls the thunder-drum of Heaven,- Child of the sun! to thee "tis givenTo guard the banner of the free, To hover in the sulphur smoke, To ward away the battle stroke, And bid its blendings shine afar,Like rainbows on the cloud of war, The harbingers1 of victory!
Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly, The sign of hope and triumph high, When speaks the signal trumpet tone, And the long line comes gleaming on. Ere yet the life-blood, warm and wet,Has dimmed the glistening bayonet, --Each soldier eye shall brightly turn To where thy sky-born glories burn; And, as his springing steps advance,Catch war and vengeance from the glance. And, when the cannon-mouthings loud Heave in wild wreaths the battle shroud, And gory sabers rise and fallLike shoots of flame on midnight"s pall,1 Harbingers: forerunners; messengers.
Then shall thy meteor glances glow,
And cowering foes shall shrink beneath Each gallant arm that strikes belowThat lovely messenger of death.
Flag of the seas! on ocean wave Thy star shall glitter o"er the brave; When Death, careering on the gale,Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail, And frighted waves rush wildly back Before the broadside"s reeling rack, Each dying wanderer of the seaShah look at once to Heaven and thee, And smile to see thy splendors flyIn triumph, o"er his dosing eye.
Flag of the free heart"s hope and home!
By angel hands to Valor given! Thy stars have lit the welkin1 dome,And smile thy hues were born in Heaven. Forever float that standard sheet!
Where breathes the foe but falls before us, With Freedom"s soil beneath our feet,And Freedom"s banner streaming o"er us?
1 Welkin: sky.
