The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 399 pages of information about The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8.

The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 399 pages of information about The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8.

  Hark to thy wandering son’s appeal, Maryland! 
  My mother State, to thee I kneel, Maryland! 
  For life and death, for woe and weal,
  Thy peerless chivalry reveal,
  And gird thy beauteous limbs with steel,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  Thou wilt not cower in the dust, Maryland! 
  Thy beaming sword shall never rust, Maryland! 
  Remember Carroll’s sacred trust,
  Remember Howard’s warlike thrust,
  And all thy slumberers with the just,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  Come, ’tis the red dawn of the day, Maryland! 
  Come with thy panoplied array, Maryland! 
  With Ringgold’s spirit for the fray,
  With Watson’s blood at Monterey,
  With fearless Lowe and dashing May,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  Dear mother, burst the tyrant’s chain, Maryland! 
  Virginia should not call in vain, Maryland! 
  She meets her sisters on the plain: 
  “Sic semper!” ’tis the proud refrain
  That baffles minions back amain,
      Maryland, My Maryland!

  Come, for thy shield is bright and strong, Maryland! 
  Come, for thy dalliance does thee wrong, Maryland! 
  Come to thine own heroic throng,
  That stalks with liberty along,
  And give a new key to thy song,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  I see the blush upon thy cheek, Maryland! 
  But thou wast ever bravely meek, Maryland! 
  But lo! there surges forth a shriek
  From hill to hill, from creek to creek;
  Potomac calls to Chesapeake,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  Thou wilt not yield the Vandal toll, Maryland! 
  Thou wilt not crook to his control, Maryland! 
  Better the fire upon thee roll,
  Better the shot, the blade, the bowl,
  Than crucifixion of the soul,
    Maryland, My Maryland!

  I hear the distant thunder hum, Maryland! 
  The Old Line’s bugle, fife, and drum, Maryland! 
  She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb—­
  Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum;
  She breathes, she burns—­she’ll come! she’ll come! 
    Maryland, My Maryland!

JAMES RYDER RANDALL.

* * * * *

DIXIE.

[1861.]

  Southrons, hear your country call you! 
  Up, lest worse than death befall you! 
  To arms!  To arms!  To arms, in Dixie! 
  Lo! all the beacon-fires are lighted,—­
  Let all hearts be now united! 
    To arms!  To arms!  To arms, in Dixie! 
      Advance the flag of Dixie! 
        Hurrah! hurrah! 
  For Dixie’s land we take our stand,
    And live or die for Dixie! 
      To arms!  To arms! 
    And conquer peace for Dixie! 
      To arms!  To arms! 
    And conquer peace for Dixie!

  Hear the Northern thunders mutter! 
  Northern flags in South winds flutter! 
  Send them back your fierce defiance! 
  Stamp upon the accursed alliance!

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.