Cicely Fox Smith

1 February 1882 – 8 April 1954 / Lymm, Cheshire

Resurrexit (June, 1900)

The old flag's flying from the rampart,
The old flag's blown upon the breeze,
And the old shame's blotted from the 'scutcheon,
And the old rule's come from overseas.
Oh, serenely shall the flag of England soar
Where in sorrow and in shame it sank before:
We have paid a heavy toll of blood and treasure;
We have given of our bravest without measure:
It shall fly, where once it flew, for evermore.

'I shall arise!'
So they swore it long ago,
When the sky was dark with woe, -
Hopeful in the dearest day,
Found our kindred heart to say:
'I shall arise!'

'I have arisen!'
Flag that bids the land be free,
Brought at last from oversea,
Death and danger proudly through,
Waves thy scarlet and thy blue:
'I have arisen!'

'It has arisen!'
Brought from its shameful grave,
Bought with blood of great and brave,
It has fallen but to rise:
Bugles, sound it to the skies:
'It has arisen!'

For the old flag's flying there serenely,
The old flag's floating on the breeze,
And the old shame's blotted from the 'scutcheon,
And the old rule's come from overseas.
Oh, serenely shall the flag of England soar
Where in sorrow and in shame it sank before:
We have paid a heavy toll of blood and treasure;
We have given of our dearest without measure:
It shall fly where once it flew, for evermore.
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