In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.





THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON

SIDNEY LANIER

[Sidenote: April 19, 1775]
_The skirmish at Lexington and the fight at Concord closed all
political bickering between Great Britain and her colonies and
began the War of the Revolution. The following verses are a
fragment of the "Psalm of the West."_

Then haste ye, Prescott and Revere!
Bring all the men of Lincoln here;
Let Chelmsford, Littleton, Carlisle,
Let Acton, Bedford, hither file--
Oh, hither file, and plainly see
Out of a wound leap Liberty.

Say, Woodman April! all in green,
Say, Robin April! hast thou seen
In all thy travel round the earth
Ever a morn of calmer birth?