Page:The Forest Sanctuary.pdf/132

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126
LAYS OF MANY LANDS.


When spear-heads light the lakes,
    When trumpets loose the snows,
When the rushing war-steed shakes
    The glacier's mute repose;


When Uri's beechen woods wave red
    In the burning hamlet's light;—
Then from the cavern of the dead,
    Shall the sleepers wake in might!

With a leap, like Tell's proud leap,
    When away the helm he flung*[1],
And boldly up the steep
    From the flashing billow sprung!


They shall wake beside their Forest-sea,
    In the ancient garb they wore
When they link'd the hands that made us free,
    On the Grütli's moonlight shore:

And their voices shall be heard,
    And be answer'd with a shout,
Till the echoing Alps are stirr'd,
    And the signal-fires blaze out.

  1. ↑ * The point of rock on which Tell leaped from the boat of Gessler is marked by a chapel, and called the Tellensprung.
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