Decoration Day

LEEP, comrades, sleep!

We are watching o'er your clay, Thinking of the trying scenes When from home you marched away

At your country's call

Sleep, comrades, sleep.

Of the days we now are thinking, When with us you all unshrinking Thought to weld the chain, unlinking,

Through our native land.

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

Tis the toilsome march we view, When with gun and knapsack, too,

Many miles we marched with you,

Weary and worn.

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

'Tis the foe we now behold Rushing onward for the fray! As they come in days of old,

Clad in somber robes of gray

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

Now we hear the cannon's roar!
Now we see the deadly charge,
As we did in days of yore,

When our land was drenched with gore!

Sleep, comrades, sleep:

Now we see the panting steed,
Bear his gallant rider where
Naught but death could claim a part,

Where deadly missiles filled the air!

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

To save our country dear,

DECORATION DAY.

137

We saw your bleeding form,
Mangled and torn by storms

Of solid shot and shell!

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

When the smoke had passed away, And darkness stilled the battle's fray, Then we placed your lifeless clay,

Beneath the valley's sod.

Sleep, comrades, sleep!

A few short years this earth we'll trod,
Then we will enter through,
At his command, pass under the rod,

And be welcomed there by you!

Ode.

E come, we come, a loyal band,

As children of this nation,
We'll join in heart, we'll join in hand,

To keep the declaration.

From east to west, from north to south,

We're filled with exultation!
Our honored dead reminds us now,

To keep the declaration!

The soldiers in the battles, fierce,

Afighting for this nation, Gave

up

their homes, their lives, their all, To save the declaration!

And when we know this day was won

By blood and tribulation,
The stars and stripes that urged them on

Will swell the declaration!

And when we meet beside their graves,

For sacred consecration, Though they are dead, their deeds will say,

Just keep the declaration!

We'll not sorget that sacred bell,

That pealed with exultation, To tell the wan and weary ones,

About the declaration.

And as the years do swiftly fly,

, And freedom's birthday draweth nigh, We'll raise the anthem to the sky,

And hail the declaration!

And when that glorious day does dawn

We'll welcome it at rise of sun, With shouts of joy and muffled drum, And through the day we'll meet as one,

And read the declaration!