America Speaks

Florence Earle Coates 1850 (Philadelphia) – 1927 (Philadelphia)



“For what avail or plough, or sail,
        Or land, or life, if freedom fail?”

We have been sleeping—dreaming.    Now,
   Thank God! we are awake!
Awake, and ready with a will
   The nobler part to take!
No more shall a pretended Peace
   Our souls from duty several
We dedicate our lives to God
   And Liberty—forever!

We, who have looked with anguished eyes
   On things no eye should see,
Beholding all that may be wrought
   By ruthless Tyranny,
Join hands with you, devoted Lands
   A liberated Nation
That wills to share your sacrifice,
   That knows your exaltation!

A lofty voice has spoken words
   That bring the world relief;
Our Land has joined the league of Right,
   Led onward by her Chief—
Her Chief who large has writ his name
   With Lincoln’s in the story
Of that dear land which still may call
   The flag she loves, “Old Glory!”
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Submitted by naama on July 13, 2020

Modified on March 05, 2023

44 sec read
10

Quick analysis:

Scheme AA BCXCXXXX XDXDXXXB XEXEXDXD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 841
Words 148
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 2, 8, 8, 8

Florence Earle Coates

Florence Van Leer Earle Nicholson Coates (July 1, 1850 – April 6, 1927) was an American poet. more…

All Florence Earle Coates poems | Florence Earle Coates Books

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