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by Alfred Perceval Graves (1846 - 1931)

The alarm
Language: English 
Hurry down, hurry down, hurry down ever,
From the wrack-ridden mountain and yellow rushing river,
Stern horsemen and footmen with spear, axe and quiver,
Oh, hurry down, hurry down, your land to deliver.
Haste, oh, haste, for in cruel might clustering
Far and near the fierce Nordman is mustering,
Haste, oh, haste, or the daughters you cherish,
The bride of your bosom shall far more than perish.

Lo! how he toils down that narrow pass yonder,
Ensnared by his spoils and oppressed by his plunder!
Flash on him, crash on him, God's fire and thunder!
And scatter and scatter his fell ranks asunder.
Oh, smite the wolf, ere he slinks from the slaughter,
Oh, rend the shark, ere he wins to deep water.
Pursue and hew him to pieces by the haven,
And feast with his red flesh the exulting sea raven.

Text Authorship:

  • by Alfred Perceval Graves (1846 - 1931) [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 Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "The alarm", op. 76 no. 22, published 1901 [voice and piano], from Songs of Erin, no. 22, London, Boosey [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson

This text was added to the website: 2016-09-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 142

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