History & Politics
Defeat and Victory
From Poems of American History (1908)
Through the clangor of the cannon,
Through the combat's wreck and reek,
Answer to th' o'ermastering Shannon
Thunders from the Chesapeake:
Gallant Lawrence, wounded, dying,
Speaks with still unconquered lip
Ere the bitter draught he drinks:
Keep the Flag flying!
Fight her till she strikes or sinks!
Don't give up the ship!
Still that voice is sounding o'er us,
So bold Perry heard it call;
Farragut has joined its chorus;
Porter, Dewey, Wainwright--all
Heard the voice of duty crying;
Deathless word from dauntless lip
That our past and future links:
Keep the Flag flying!
Fight her till she strikes or sinks!
Don't give up the ship!
Cite this poem
MLA
Rice, Wallace. “Defeat and Victory.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rice_w/4/.
Chicago
Rice, Wallace. “Defeat and Victory.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rice_w/4/.
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