The Oak-Tree

Sing for the Oak-Tree, The monarch of the wood; Sing for the Oak-Tree, That groweth green and good; That groweth broad and branching Within the forest shade; That groweth now, and yet shall grow When we are lowly laid!

The Oak-Tree was an acorn once, And fell upon the earth; And sun and showers nourished it, And gave the Oak-Tree birth. The little sprouting Oak-Tree! Two leaves it had at first, Till sun and showers had nourished it, Then out the branches burst.

The little sapling Oak-Tree! Its root was like a thread, Till the kindly earth had nourished it, Then out it freely spread: On this side and on that side It grappled with the ground; And in the ancient, rifted rock Its firmest footing found.

The winds came, and the rain fell; The gusty tempest blew; All, all were friends to the Oak-Tree, And stronger yet it grew. The boy that saw the acorn fall, He feeble grew and grey; But the Oak was still a thriving tree, And strengthened every day!

Four centuries grows the Oak-Tree Nor doth its verdue fail; Its heart is like the iron-wood, Its bark like plated mail. Now, cut us down the Oak-Tree, The monarch of the wood; And of its timbers stout and strong We’ll build a vessel good!

The Oak-Tree of the forest Both east and west shall fly; And the blessings of a thousand lands Upon our ship shall lie! For she shall not be a man-of-war, Nor a pirate shall she be:— But a noble, Christian merchant-ship To sail upon the sea.

Then sing for the Oak-Tree, The monarch of the wood; Sing for the Oak-Tree, That groweth green and good; That groweth broad and branching Within the forest shade; That groweth now, and yet shall grow, When we are lowly laid!