In the seagirt land of the North,
By the endless ebb and flow of the streaming tide,
The tower keeps silent watch from the riverside
Over the lands of the English far and wide;
And the darkness of trampled peoples is turned into light,
And tyrants are flung from their thrones in a day and a night,
When the first of the nations leaps up in her wrath and her might,
And the word of the land goes forth.
Let the word of thy strength go forth!
The people hang on the word ‘neath the southern stars,
Where the air is thrilling and throbbing with rumours of wars,
While ye who are strong for the shaking of Empires and kings,
Jangle and wrangle and jar over little things.
Be true to the old-time fame of your name and your pride,
You who have power o’er the English, the whole world wide,
From the tower that keeps its watch by the riverside,
O’er the rush and thunder and roar by the streaming tide
In the Empress-isle of the North.
Cicely Fox Smith
(Cicely Fox Smith)
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Based on Topics: Night Poems, Light Poems, War & Peace Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, People Poems, Pride Poems, Tyranny & Despotism Poems, English PoemsBased on Keywords: jangle, riverside, seagirt