The American Flag.

I.     When Freedom from her mountain height     Unfurled her standard to the air,     She tore the azure robe of night,     And set the stars of glory there.     She mingled with its gorgeous dyes     The milky baldric of the skies,     And striped its pure celestial white,     With streakings of the morning light;     Then from his mansion in the sun     She called her eagle bearer down,     And gave into his mighty hand,     The symbol of her chosen land. II.     Majestic monarch of the cloud,     Who rear'st aloft thy regal form,     To hear the tempest trumpings loud     And see the lightning lances driven,     When strive the warriors of the storm,     And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven,     Child of the sun! to thee 'tis given     To guard the banner of the free,     To hover in the sulphur smoke,     To ward away the battle stroke,     And bid its blendings shine afar,     Like rainbows on the cloud of war,     The harbingers of victory! III.     Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly,     The sign of hope and triumph high,     When speaks the signal trumpet tone,     And the long line comes gleaming on.     Ere yet the life-blood, warm and wet,     Has dimm'd the glistening bayonet,     Each soldier eye shall brightly turn     To where thy sky-born glories burn;     And as his springing steps advance,     Catch war and vengeance from the glance.     And when the cannon-mouthings loud     Heave in wild wreaths the battle shroud,     And gory sabres rise and fall     Like shoots of flame on midnight's pall;     Then shall thy meteor glances glow,     And cowering foes shall shrink beneath     Each gallant arm that strikes below     That lovely messenger of death. IV.     Flag of the seas! on ocean wave     Thy stars shall glitter o'er the brave;     When death, careering on the gale,     Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail,     And frighted waves rush wildly back     Before the broadside's reeling rack,     Each dying wanderer of the sea     Shall look at once to heaven and thee,     And smile to see thy splendours fly     In triumph o'er his closing eye. V.     Flag of the free heart's hope and home!     By angel hands to valour given;     The stars have lit the welkin dome,     And all thy hues were born in heaven.     For ever float that standard sheet!     Where breathes the foe but falls before us,     With Freedom's soil beneath our feet,     And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us?