by Cecil Spring-Rice, Sir (1859 - 1918)
I vow to thee, my country
Language: English
I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love, The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best. The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. I heard my country calling, away across the sea, Across the waste of waters she calls and calls to me. Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head, And round her feet are lying the dying and the dead. I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of her guns, I haste to thee my mother, a son among thy sons. And there's another country, I've heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; We may not count her armies, we may not see her King; Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.
Authorship:
- by Cecil Spring-Rice, Sir (1859 - 1918) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Henry) Walford Davies, Sir (1869 - 1941), "I vow to thee, my country", published 1924 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "I vow to thee, my country", 1918 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Lidy van Noordenburg
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-09
Line count: 18
Word count: 193