by Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 - 1894)
What flower is this that greets the morn
Language: English
What flower is this that greets the morn, Its hues from Heaven so freshly born? With burning star and flaming band It kindles all the sunset land: Oh tell us what its name may be,-- Is this the Flower of Liberty? It is the banner of the free, The starry Flower of Liberty! In savage Nature's far abode Its tender seed our fathers sowed; The storm-winds rocked its swelling bud, Its opening leaves were streaked with blood, Till lo! earth's tyrants shook to see The full-blown Flower of Liberty! Then hail the banner of the free, The starry Flower of Liberty! Behold its streaming rays unite, One mingling flood of braided light,-- The red that fires the Southern rose, With spotless white from Northern snows, And, spangled o'er its azure, see The sister Stars of Liberty! Then hail the banner of the free, The starry Flower of Liberty! The blades of heroes fence it round, Where'er it springs is holy ground; From tower and dome its glories spread; It waves where lonely sentries tread; It makes the land as ocean free, And plants an empire on the sea! Then hail the banner of the free, The starry Flower of Liberty! Thy sacred leaves, fair Freedom's flower, Shall ever float on dome and tower, To all their heavenly colors true, In blackening frost or crimson dew,-- And God love us as we love thee, Thrice holy Flower of Liberty! Then hail the banner of the free, The starry FLOWER OF LIBERTY!
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Authorship:
- by Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 - 1894), "The Flower of Liberty", appears in Songs in Many Keys, first published 1862 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Obadiah Bruen Brown (1829 - 1901), "The Flower of Liberty", published 1862. [voice? and chorus] [text not verified]
- by H. P. Keens , "What Flower is this?", published 1877 [tenor and chorus], ballad [text not verified]
- by William Harold Neidlinger (1863 - 1924), "The Flower of Liberty", published 1904. [SATB chorus] [text not verified]
- by Bryceson Treharne (1879 - 1948), "The Flower of Liberty", published 1942. [SAB chorus and piano] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-11-22
Line count: 40
Word count: 250