I

All day long in the city's canyon-street, With its populous cliffs alive on either side, I saw a river of marching men like a tide Flowing after the flag: and the rhythmic beat Of the drums, and the bugles' resonant blare Metred the tramp, tramp, tramp of a myriad feet, While the red-white-and-blue was fluttering everywhere, And the heart of the crowd kept time to a martial air:

O brave flag, O bright flag, O flag to lead the free! The glory of thy silver stars, Engrailed in blue above the bars Of red for courage, white for truth, Has brought the world a second youth And drawn a hundred million hearts to follow after thee.