When Freedom, from her mountain height,

Unfurled her standard to the air,

She tore the azure robe of night,

And set the stars of glory there!

She mingled with its gorgeous dyes

The milky baldric of the skies,

And striped its pure celestial white

With streakings of the morning light…

Flag of the seas! On ocean’s wave

Thy star shall glitter o’er the brave;

When Death, careering on the gale,

Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail,

And frighted waves rush wildly back

Before the broadside’s reeling rack,

Each dying wanderer of the sea

Shall look, at once, to heaven and thee,

And smile, to see thy splendors fly,

In triumph, o’er his closing eye.