Poems, Chiefly Lyrical/National Song

by Alfred Tennyson

NATIONAL SONG.

 

⁠There is no land like England
⁠Where'er the light of day be;
⁠There are no hearts like English hearts,
⁠Such hearts of oak as they be.
⁠There is no land like England
⁠Where'er the light of day be;
⁠There are no men like Englishmen,
⁠So tall and bold as they be.

Chorus.—For the French the pope may shrive 'em,
⁠For the devil a whit we heed 'em:
⁠As for the French, God speed 'em
⁠Unto their heart's desire,
⁠And the merry devil drive 'em
⁠Through the water and the fire.
Full Ch.—Our glory is our freedom,
⁠We lord it o'er the sea;
⁠We are the sons of freedom,
⁠We are free.

⁠There is no land like England,
⁠Where'er the light of day be;
⁠There are no wives like English wives,
⁠So fair and chaste as they be.
⁠There is no land like England,
⁠Where'er the light of day be;
⁠There are no maids like English maids,
⁠So beautiful as they be.
Chorus—For the French, &c.