58 There's Life in the old and yet. There's Life in the Old Land yet. (v.) By blue Patapsco's billowy dash, And the growl of his sullen drums. We hear it! we heed it, with vengeful thrills, And we shall not forgive or forget There's faith in the streams, there's hope in the hills "There's life in the Old Land yet!" Minions! we sleep, but we are not dead; We are crushed, we are scourged, we are scarred; Then woe to your vile, polluting horde, There's faith in the victor's stainless sword- Bigots! ye quell not the valiant mind, The Spirit of Freedom sings in the wind, O'er Merryman, Thomas, and Kane! And we, though we smite not, are not thrallsWe are piling a gory debt; E'en down by McHenry's dungeon walls, "There's life in the Old Land yet!" Our women have hung their harps away, They will strip their tresses to string our bows, There's faith in their unrelenting woes"There's life in the Old Land yet!" There's life though it throbbeth in silent veins; 'Tis vocal, without noise; It gushed o'er Manassas' solemn plains That blood shall cry aloud, and rise By the death of the brave!-by the God in the skies! "There's life in the Old Land yet!" A Cry to Arms. Ho! woodsmen of the mountain side! Ho! dwellers in the vales! Ho! ye, that by the chafing tide Let desk, and case, and counter rot, The despot roves your fairest lands, Your fields must grow but armed bands- Give up to mildew and to rust And feed your country's sacred dust Come with the weapons at your call- He wields the deadliest blade of all Who lightest holds his life. The arm that drives its unbought blows With all a patriot's scorn, Might brain a tyrant with a rose, Or stab him with a thorn! Does any falter? let him turn Oh! could you like your women feel A day might see your lines of steel What hope, O God! would not grow warm The lily calmly braves the storm- No! rather let its branches court And from the lily's regal port Learn how to breast the strain. Ho! woodsmen of the mountain side |