THE BUGLE AND THE BATTLE
Clear are the bugle tones and sweet
That the ether waves of the sky repeat,
Harsh is the battle's roar and din
That the stern hills echo back again.
That the ether waves of the sky repeat,
Harsh is the battle's roar and din
That the stern hills echo back again.
Bugle, sweet bugle, the bard of fame
With his deathless song has linked thy name
And thy silver tones like echoes play
Through the humble minstrel's sweetest lay.
With his deathless song has linked thy name
And thy silver tones like echoes play
Through the humble minstrel's sweetest lay.
Battle, stern battle, on history's page
Thy hosts in perpetual conflict rage,
In heroic song is thy glory told,
From age to age is thy discord rolled.
Thy hosts in perpetual conflict rage,
In heroic song is thy glory told,
From age to age is thy discord rolled.
Peace spreads out her wings o'er our land afar
She has hushed the blood-chilling clang of war,
But the battle of life goes on around
Though the cannon's voice is no dreaded sound.
She has hushed the blood-chilling clang of war,
But the battle of life goes on around
Though the cannon's voice is no dreaded sound.
There is discord and danger in human life
But listen, blent with its toil and strife
There are beautiful notes that rise and fall
In heavenly harmony through it all.
But listen, blent with its toil and strife
There are beautiful notes that rise and fall
In heavenly harmony through it all.
Life has its battle, its toilsome fight
Where the wrong oft triumphs, o'er the right,
Where the strong and the brave to their foemen yield
And the fallen are strewn o'er the fiery field.
Where the wrong oft triumphs, o'er the right,
Where the strong and the brave to their foemen yield
And the fallen are strewn o'er the fiery field.
Life has its struggle, its march of toil
Where opposing forces brave effort foil,
Where the harsh discordant notes of strife
Are heard on the battle ground of life.
Where opposing forces brave effort foil,
Where the harsh discordant notes of strife
Are heard on the battle ground of life.
Life has its bugle-tones, high and sweet
Above the discord of trampling feet;
There is music, courage, hope and cheer
In the bugle-tones that all may hear.
Above the discord of trampling feet;
There is music, courage, hope and cheer
In the bugle-tones that all may hear.
Above the stifling of smoke and dust
They float to earth on the wind's wild gust,
They soar and sing midst the thickest strife,
The high, sweet bugle-tones of life.
They float to earth on the wind's wild gust,
They soar and sing midst the thickest strife,
The high, sweet bugle-tones of life.
O clear voiced bugle, your notes shall speed
The fainting heart and the panting steed
'Till truth shall triumph, while error dies,
And the blast of victory thrills the skies!
The fainting heart and the panting steed
'Till truth shall triumph, while error dies,
And the blast of victory thrills the skies!
'Till the dust and the smoke of the fiery fray
Like the mists of the morning have cleared away,
'T1ill the bravest, noblest hosts have won
And the toilsome march of the world is done.
Like the mists of the morning have cleared away,
'T1ill the bravest, noblest hosts have won
And the toilsome march of the world is done.
Awake stern hills to the battle's clash,
Its thunders deepen, its lightnings flash;
Far, far above it and over it all
I can hear the sound of the bugle call.
Its thunders deepen, its lightnings flash;
Far, far above it and over it all
I can hear the sound of the bugle call.