Poems (Hoffman)/The Patriot Abroad
THE PATRIOT ABROAD
He stood in a foreign port
In the midst of the clamoring din
Straining his eyes o'er the peaceful waves,
Watching the ships come in.
In the midst of the clamoring din
Straining his eyes o'er the peaceful waves,
Watching the ships come in.
There were French and Italian frigates
And British men-of-war
And flags of all nationalities
Streaming their colors afar;
And British men-of-war
And flags of all nationalities
Streaming their colors afar;
But one of the many caught his eye
And raised his eager hand
To wave his hat in welcome,
'Twas the flag of his native land.
And raised his eager hand
To wave his hat in welcome,
'Twas the flag of his native land.
It flung on the Orient zephyrs
Freedom's prophetic types
While India's sunbeams sported
In Columbia's stars and stripes,
Freedom's prophetic types
While India's sunbeams sported
In Columbia's stars and stripes,
And it spake to the lonely traveler
Of his home across the main
Where it waved in majestic beauty
O'er the freedman's sundered chain.
Of his home across the main
Where it waved in majestic beauty
O'er the freedman's sundered chain.
What wonder he greeted its coming
With a glad and grateful heart,
It seemed of his country,—an emblem,
Of his cherished home,—a part.
With a glad and grateful heart,
It seemed of his country,—an emblem,
Of his cherished home,—a part.
Like a star from his native heaven
Or a message from some loved name,
Or a flower plucked from his garden
On the wings of a dove it came.
Or a message from some loved name,
Or a flower plucked from his garden
On the wings of a dove it came.
Float on, loved flag of Freedom
O'er many a foreign sea
And wake in the hearts of thousands
The echoes of liberty!
O'er many a foreign sea
And wake in the hearts of thousands
The echoes of liberty!