  America, awake, awake! Put on thy armor, for the hour Has come when Freedom is at stake! Arise, and show thy spirit’s power, And now, as in thy youth, The tyrant’s shackles break; And let the truth, Which made thee great, Decide the destiny of mankind Ere ’tis too late! To thee the world is looking for salvation; Thou hast it. Give it in God’s name! And it will make thee tenfold more a nation— Withhold it, and on thee shall be the blame Of ages—and the shame. This is the testing-time, Which like a fire brings forth The people’s real worth; For men from every clime Is now this testing-time, But we shall joy to see, The gold of love is there, For home and Liberty, And Loyalty shall be Their watchword everywhere. Awake, America, awake! The bugle-call to arms is sounding, Thy sons are hearing it and shake Old Glory to the winds, with faith abounding, And ’neath this emblem of the free A sacred pledge they make, That it shall be Unharmed by any foe, And aid the world in despots’ overthrow. They come—these lads from country-home and town, From crowded cities and the lonely plains, They come in blouses blue and khaki brown, They come by thousands on the speeding trains, To meet the hardships and the pains. Still, thou, America, art half asleep, Entranced by pleasant ease, Thou dreamest yet of peace, For it seems far across the deep, Where death and grave a harvest reap— It seems so far away But, like nocturnal thief, It may bring thee to grief,— Therefore obey the bugle-call to fight, Arise, put on thy armor, show thy might! July, 1917 |
|
