Britannia needs no bulwark, No towers along the steep;
Her march is o'er the mountain waves, Her home is on the deep.
With thunders from her native oak She quells the floods below
As they roar on the shore,
Where the stormy winds do blow; When the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow.
The meteor flag of England Shall yet terrific burn,
Till danger's troubled night depart And the star of peace return. Then, then, ye ocean warriors! Our song and feast shall flow To the fame of your name,
When the storm has ceased to blow; When the fiery fight is heard no more, And the storm has ceased to blow.
HOHENLINDEN
ON Linden, when the sun was low, All bloodless lay th' untrodden snow, And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.
But Linden saw another sight, When the drum beat at dead of night, Commanding fires of death to light The darkness of her scenery.
By torch and trumpet fast arrayed, Each horseman drew his battle blade, And furious every charger neighed,
To join the dreadful revelry.
Then shook the hills with thunder riven Than rushed the steed to battle driven, And louder than the bolts of heaven,
Far flashed the red artillery.
But redder yet that light shall glow, On Linden's hills of stainèd snow, And bloodier yet the torrent flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.
'Tis morn, but scarce yon level sun Can pierce the war-clouds, rolling dun, Where furious Frank, and fiery Hun,
Shout in their sulphurous canopy.
Out spoke the victor then, As he hailed them o'er the wave; "Ye are brothers! ye are men! And we conquer but to save; So peace instead of death let us bring: But yield, proud foe, thy fleet With the crews, at England's feet, And make submission meet To our King."
Then Denmark blest our chief, That he gave her wounds repose; And the sounds of joy and grief, From her people wildly rose,
As death withdrew his shades from the day;
While the sun looked smiling bright
O'er a wide and woeful sight, Where the fires of funeral light Died away.
Now joy, old England, raise For the tidings of thy might, By the festal cities' blaze, While the wine cup shines in light; And yet amidst that joy and uproar, Let us think of them that sleep, Full many a fathom deep, By the wild and stormy steep, Elsinore !
Brave hearts! to Britain's pride Once so faithful and so true, On the deck of fame that died, With the gallant good Riou,
Soft sigh the winds of heaven o'er their grave!
While the billow mournful rolls,
And the mermaid's song condoles, Singing glory to the souls
MEN of England! who inherit Rights that cost your sires their blood,
Men whose undegenerate spirit
Has been proved on land and flood:
By the foes ye've fought uncounted, By the glorious deeds ye've done, Trophies captured-breaches mounted, Navies conquered → kingdoms won!
« ZurückWeiter » |