The Complete Poems of Sir Thomas Moore Part 102

GO FORTH TO THE MOUNT,

(AIR.--STEVENSON.)

Go forth to the Mount; bring the olive-branch home,[1]

And rejoice; for the day of our freedom is come!

From that time,[2] when the moon upon Ajalon's vale, Looking motionless down,[3] saw the kings of the earth, In the presence of G.o.d's mighty champion grow pale-- Oh, never had Judah an hour of such mirth!

Go forth to the Mount--bring the olive-branch home, And rejoice, for the day of our freedom is come!

Bring myrtle and palm--bring the boughs of each tree That's worthy to wave o'er the tents of the Free.[4]

From that day when the footsteps of Israel shone With a light not their own, thro' the Jordan's deep tide, Whose waters shrunk back as the ark glided on[5]-- Oh, never had Judah an hour of such pride!

Go forth to the Mount--bring the olive-branch home, And rejoice, for the day of our Freedom is come!

[1] And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive-branches,'!

etc.--_Neh_. viii. 15.

[2] "For since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so; and there was very great gladness."-- _Ib_. 17.

[3] "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon."--_Josh_. x. 12.

[4] "Fetch olive-branches, and pine-branches, and myrtle-branches, and palm-branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths."

--_Neh_. viii. 15.

[5] "And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites pa.s.sed over on dry ground."--_Josh_. iii. 17.

IS IT NOT SWEET TO THINK, HEREAFTER.

(AIR.--HAYDN.)

Is it not sweet to think, hereafter, When the Spirit leaves this sphere.

Love, with deathless wing, shall waft her To those she long hath mourned for here?

Hearts from which 'twas death to sever.

Eyes this world can ne'er restore, There, as warm, as bright as ever, Shall meet us and be lost no more.

When wearily we wander, asking Of earth and heaven, where are they, Beneath whose smile we once lay basking, Blest and thinking bliss would stay?

Hope still lifts her radiant finger Pointing to the eternal Home, Upon whose portal yet they linger, Looking back for us to come.

Alas, alas--doth Hope deceive us?

Shall friendship--love--shall all those ties That bind a moment, and then leave us, Be found again where nothing dies?

Oh, if no other boon were given, To keep our hearts from wrong and stain, Who would not try to win a Heaven Where all we love shall live again?

WAR AGAINST BABYLON.

(AIR.--NOVELLO.)

"War against Babylon!" shout we around, Be our banners through earth unfurled; Rise up, ye nations, ye kings, at the sound-- "War against Babylon!" shout thro' the world!

Oh thou, that dwellest on many waters,[1]

Thy day of pride is ended now; And the dark curse of Israel's daughters Breaks like a thundercloud over thy brow!

War, war, war against Babylon!

Make bright the arrows, and gather the shields,[2]

Set the standard of G.o.d on high; Swarm we, like locusts, o'er all her fields.

"Zion" our watchword, and "vengeance" our cry!

Woe! woe!--the time of thy visitation[3]

Is come, proud land, thy doom is cast-- And the black surge of desolation Sweeps o'er thy guilty head, at last!

War, war, war against Babylon!

[1] "Oh thou that dwellest upon many waters...thine end is come."--_Jer_. li. 13.

[2] "Make bright the arrows; gather the shields...set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon"--_Jer_. li. 11, 12.

[3] "Woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation!"--_Jer_. l. 27.

A MELOLOGUE UPON NATIONAL MUSIC.

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nT.