A Song of Freedom

I

Let our banners shake their blessings far upon the friendly wind ;1

Bear this message, flood that flowest through the meadows
to the sea,—2

Chains they forged us, proudly, fondly ; how should human forces bind3

That which God, in faith eternal, set with love for ever free ?4

This old heritage, our kingdom, long our sires, unspent with toil,5

Trained for greater tasks of Empire than their patient eyes descried.6

Was it vain ? Give answer, voices crying from a blood-stained soil,—7

“ Not in vain your sons, our brothers, held the faith for which they
died.”8

Long ago, when vast and vaster, dimly seen and faintly hailed,9

Loomed the mist-encircled figure of our Fortune and our Fate,10

Who was there to greet her coming, clasp the truth so lightly veiled,11

Was there none to rise with homage swiftly to unbar the gate ?12

Answer, Alfred, from your cerements, you who faced the wind and sun,13

Henry, Edward, kings and guardians, one in high and splendid
trust,14

Virgin Queen, unspoiled, undaunted when the long day’s work was
done,15

Can your monarch-spirits fail you though the flesh lie deep in dust ?16

Hear the answer, sounding music from some flower-embroidered field !17

“ Freedom was our joy and watchword, God our Law and God
our Light ;18

Visions of a fair dominion, lustred on a shining shield,19

Past the ages grew and kindled in the sun beyond our sight :20

Summer from the seed of winter, harvest from the heart of spring21

Spread, and straightway we who garnered in our zeal that fruitful
store22

Heard our names with this of Freedom called before a greater King,23

Throned them with the name of Britain there on high for evermore.”24