MARCO BOZZARIS HALLECK FITZ-GREENE HALLECK (1790-1867) was an American poet. His beautiful lines to the memory of Burns won high praise from William Cullen Bryant. NOTE. The heroic Greek chief, Marco Bozzaris, fell in an attack upon the Turkish camp at Laspi in 1823. He died at the moment of victory, 5 and his last words were, "To die for liberty is a pleasure and not a pain.” This poem has been called the finest martial lyric in the English language. At midnight, in his guarded tent, The Turk was dreaming of the hour When Greece, her knee in suppliance bent, In dreams, through camp and court, he bore In dreams his song of triumph heard; Then wore his monarch's signet ring, Then pressed that monarch's throne-a king; As Eden's garden bird. 10 15 At midnight, in the forest shades, Bozzaris ranged his Suliote band, 20 True as the steel of their tried blades, 5 There had the Persian thousands stood, There had the glad earth drunk their blood And now there breathed that haunted air The sons of sires who conquered there, 10 An hour passed on-the Turk awoke; He woke to hear his sentries shriek, 66 To arms! they come ! the Greek! the Greek!" He woke to die midst flame, and smoke, And death shots falling thick and fast As lightnings from the mountain cloud; And heard, with voice as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band: "Strike-till the last armed foe expires, They fought -like brave men, long and well; They piled that ground with Moslem slain; They conquered-but Bozzaris fell, Bleeding at every vein. His few surviving comrades saw His smile when rang their proud hurrah, And the red field was won; Then saw in death his eyelids close Like flowers at set of sun. Come to the bridal chamber, Death! Come to the mother's, when she feels Which close the pestilence are broke, 5 10 15 20 25 5 10 15 The earthquake shock, the ocean storm; With banquet song, and dance, and wine, The groan, the knell, the pall, the bier, But to the hero, when his sword Has won the battle for the free, The thanks of millions yet to be. Greece nurtured in her glory's time, We tell thy doom without a sigh; That were not born to die. Su'liote band: men from Suli in Albania. Bozzar'is was born at Suli. Platæa's day: Laspi was on the site of the ancient Platæ ́a where the Persians were defeated, 479 B.C. Mos'lem: followers of Mohammed; Mussulmans. — storied brave: heroes celebrated in story. THE AMERICAN FLAG JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE (1795-1820) was an American poet. He formed a literary partnership with his friend Fitz-Greene Halleck, and the clever verses of the two young men were the delight of New York society. It is said that the last four lines of the following poem were written by Halleck. When Freedom, from her mountain height, She tore the azure robe of night, Majestic monarch of the cloud, Who rear'st aloft thy regal form, When strive the warriors of the storm, |