Poems of Felicia Hemans in The Winter's Wreath, 1831/Rhine Song of the German Soldiers after Victory
Rhine Song
OF THE
GERMAN SOLDIERS AFTER VICTORY.
BY MRS. REMANS.
"But I wish you could have heard Sir Walter Scott describe a glorious sight, which had been witnessed by a friend of his!—the crossing of the Rhine at Ehren-breit-stein by the German army of Liberators on their victorious return from France. "At the first gleam of the river," he said, "they all burst forth into the national chaunt 'Am Rhein! am Rhein!'—they were two days passing over; and the rocks and the castle were ringing to the song the whole time;—for each band renewed it while crossing; and the Cossacks, with the clash and the clang, and the roll of their stormy war-music, catching the enthusiasm of the scene, swelled forth the chorus 'Am Rhein! am Rhein!'
Manuscript Letter.
SINGLE VOICE.
It is the Rhine! our mountain vineyards laving,
I see the bright flood shine!
Sing on the march, with every banner waving—
Sing, Brothers! 'tis the Rhine!
CHORUS.
The Rhine, the Rhine! our own imperial River!
Be glory on thy track!
We left thy shores, to die or to deliver—
We bear thee Freedom back!
SINGLE VOICE.
Hail! Hail! my childhood knew thy rush of water,
Ev'n as my mother's song!
That sound went past me on the field of slaughter,
And heart and arm grew strong!
CHORUS.
Roll proudly on!—brave blood is with thee sweeping,
Poured out by sons of thine,
When sword and spirit forth in joy were leaping,
Like thee, victorious Rhine!
SINGLE VOICE.
Home! Home!—thy glad wave hath a tone of greeting,
Thy path is by my home:
Even now my children count the hours 'till meeting,
—O ransomed ones! I come!
CHORUS.
Go, tell the seas, that chain shall bind thee never—
Sound on by hearth and shrine!
Sing through the hills, that thou art free for ever—
Lift up thy voice, O Rhine!