A Poem for the Fourth of July

The Raising of the Flag
Conde Benoist Pallen

Lift up the banner of our love
To the kiss of the winds above,
The banner of the world’s fair cope,
When liberty was young,
And yet unsung
Clarioned her voice among
The trodden peoples, and stirred
The pulses with her word,
Till the swift blood red
From the quick heart sped,
Flushing valor’s cheek with flame
At sounding of her august sacred name!

Lift up the banner of the stars,
The standard of the double bars,
Red with the holy tide
Of heroes’ blood, who died
At the feet of the liberty,
Shouting her battle-cry
Triumphantly
As they fell like sickled corn
In that first resplendent morn
Of freedom, glad to die
In the dawn of her clear eye!

Lift up the flag of starry blue
Caught from the crystal hue
Of central heaven’s glowing dome,
Where the great winds largely roam
In unrestrained liberty;
Caught from the cerulean sea
Of midmost ocean tossing free,
Flecked with the racing foam
Of rushing waters, as they leap
Unbridled from the laughing deep
In the gulfs of liberty!

Lift up the banner red
With the blood of heroes shed
In victory!
Lift up the banner blue
As heaven, and as true
In constancy!
Lift up the banner white
As sea foam in the light
Of liberty;
The banner of the triple hue,
The banner of the red and white and blue,
Bright ensign of the free!

Lift up the banner of the days to come,
When cease the trumpet and the rolling drum;
When peace in the nest of love
Unfolds the wings of the dove,
Brooding o’er the days to be,
Peace born of freedom’s might,
Peace sprung from the power of right,
The peace of liberty!

Lift up the flag of high surprise
To greet the gladdened eyes
Of peoples far and near,
The glorious harbinger
Of earth’s wide liberties,
Streaming pure and freedom’s lofty atmosphere!

Lift up our hearts to HIm who made to shine
In Heaven’s arch the glorious sign
Of mercy’s heavenly birth
To all the peoples of the earth,
The pledge of peace divine!
And let our glorious banner, too,
The banner of the rainbow’s hue,
In heaven’s wide expanse unfurled,
Be for a promise to the world
Of peace to all mankind;
Banner of peace and light,
Banner of red and blue and white,
Red as the crimson blood
Of Christ’s wide brotherhood,
Blue with the unchanging hope
Of heaven’s steadfast sun,
White as the radiant sun
The whole earth shining on!