From prairie, O ploughman! speed boldly away—
There's seed to be sown in God's furrows to-day—
Row landward, lone fisher! stout woodman, come home!
Let smith leave his anvil and weaver his loom,
And hamlet and city ring loud with the cry,
"For God and our country we'll fight till we die!
Here's welcome to wounding and combat and scars
And the glory of death—for the Stripes and the Stars!"
Invincible Banner! the Flag of the Free!
O, where treads the foot that would falter for thee?
Or the hands to be folded, till triumph is won
And the eagle looks proud, as of old, to the sun?
Give tears for the parting—a murmur of prayer—
Then Forward! the fame of our standard to share!
With welcome to wounding and combat and scars
And the glory of death—for the Stripes and the Stars!
O God of our Fathers! this Banner must shine
Where battle is hottest, in warfare divine!
The cannon has thundered, the bugle has blown,—
We fear not the summons—we fight not alone!
O, lead us, till wide from the Gulf to the Sea
The land shall be sacred to Freedom and Thee!
With love, for oppression; with blessing, for scars—
One Country—one Banner—the Stripes and the Stars!
E. D. Proctor.
CCCXLIII.
WHO'S READY?
God help us! Who's ready? There's danger before!
Who's armed and who's mounted? The foe's at the door!
The smoke of his cannon hangs black o'er the plain;
His shouts ring exultant while counting our slain;
And northward and northward he presses his line,—
Who's ready? O, forward!—for yours and for mine!
No halting, no discord, the moments are Fates;
To shame or to glory they open the gates!
There's all we hold dearest to lose or to win;
The web of the future to-day we must spin;
And bid the hours follow with knell or with chime!—
Who's ready? O, forward!—while yet there is time!
Lead armies or councils,—be soldier a-field,—
Alike, so your valor is Liberty's shield!
Alike, so you strike when the bugle-notes call,
For Country, for Fireside, for Freedom to All!
The blows of the boldest will carry the day,—
Who's ready? O, forward!—there's death in delay!
Earth's noblest are praying, at home and o'er sea,—
"God keep the great nation united and free!"
Her tyrants watch, eager to leap at our life,
If once we should falter or faint in the strife;
Our trust is unshaken, though legions assail,—
Who's ready? O, forward! and Right shall prevail.
Who's ready? "All ready!" undaunted we cry;
"For Country, for Freedom, we'll fight till we die;
No traitor, at midnight, shall pierce us in rest;
No alien, at noonday, shall stab us abreast;
The God of our Fathers is guiding us still,—
All forward! we're ready,—and conquer we will!"
E. D. Proctor.