Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

The American Flag

WHILE Jupiter sat on his throne in the skies,

The thunder of battle wax’d louder and louder,

The smoke of the cannon brought tears to his eyes,

And his nose was assail’d by the fumes of gunpowder:

’Tis America strives

For her children and wives,

While the proud sons of Britain pull foot for their lives;

The roses of glory the brave shall adorn,

While the sea bears a ship, or the fields Indian-corn.

“I’ll give them a banner,” in triumph he said,

And a piece of blue sky from the firmament tore he,

He rabbled the rainbow to stripe it with red,

And sew’d some bright stars on, to add to its glory;

“This banner,” says he,

“Is the flag of the free,

And the north or south pole shall the standard-pole be.

It shall float in the skies on the breezes of morn,

While the sea bears a ship, or the fields Indian-corn.”

Then swell the loud pæans; ye cannons, speak out;

Let the roar of this day through the universe flow,

Till the brazen-lung’d seraph re-echo the shout,

And the voices on high join the chorus below:

Be your banners unfurl’d

And your thunderbolts hurl’d,

Till the glorious huzza plugs the ears of the world;

For ne’er such a nation again shall be born,

While the sea bears a ship, or the fields Indian-corn.