The Banner of the Jew

Use Tab to move through poem lines. Press Enter or Space to select a line. Hold Shift while selecting a second line to create a shared range.

1. Wake, Israel, wake! Recall to-day
2. The glorious Maccabean rage,
3. The sire heroic, hoary-gray,
4. His five-fold lion-lineage;
5. The Wise, the Elect, the Help-of-God,
6. The Burst-of-Spring, the Avenging Rod.
7.  
8.  
9. From Mizpeh's mountain ridge they saw
10. Jerusalem's empty streets; her shrine
11. Laid waste where Greeks profaned the Law
12. With idol and with pagan sign.
13. Mourners in tattered black were there
14. With ashes sprinkled on their hair.
15.  
16.  
17. Then from the stony peak there rang
18. A blast to ope the graves; down poured
19. The Maccabean clan, who sang
20. Their battle anthem to the Lord.
21. Five heroes lead, and following, see
22. Ten thousand rush to victory!
23.  
24.  
25. Oh for Jerusalem's trumpet now,
26. To blow a blast of shattering power,
27. To wake the sleeper high and low,
28. And rouse them to the urgent hour!
29. No hand for vengeance, but to save,
30. A million naked swords should wave.
31.  
32.  
33. Oh, deem not dead that martial fire,
34. Say not the mystic flame is spent!
35. With Moses' law and David's lyre,
36. Your ancient strength remains unbent.
37. Let but an Ezra rise anew,
38. To lift the BANNER OF THE JEW!
39.  
40.  
41. A rag, a mock at first,--erelong
42. When men have bled and women wept,
43. To guard its precious folds from wrong,
44. Even they who shrunk, even they who slept,
45. Shall leap to bless it and to save.
46. Strike! for the brave revere the brave!