Battle Song Of Newfoundland

By PATRIOT

Rise, Newfoundland, and break your chains,
While yet the light of hope for you remains;
Your fathers call from out their place of rest:
"Unite - unite - Confederation is best."

Must vested interests always keep you bound,
Oh, men who toil upon the fishing ground
To keep you slaves, their dollars now outflow,
For Pharoah-like, they will not let you go!

You who have fought a North Atlantic Sea,
Which calls for strength and utmost bravery;
But now your fight is not with spume and spray -
You fight for life on Referendum Day.

The hour has come - the voice of Wisdom calls,
To lead you on ere yet the darkness falls;
Obey the voice and grasp her by the hand
Then you shall know God guided Newfoundland!

There is a tide that comes to those who toil,
When taken at the flood brings Fortune's smile;
Now is the time to take that flood - and, lo!
Comfederation [sic] comes - and blessings flow.

We hear the trumpet sounding from afar,
While Freedom, smiling, swings her gates ajar;
Enter now the portals, friends, I pray,
And see the vision of a brighter day!

For Newfoundland is like a vessel bold,
Which carries human freight within her hold;
Her course is set, the breeze is from the land,
She points her bow toward a shining strand.

But hidden in the joy lies "Local Rule",
With false-light gleaming to mislead and fool;
There lie the reefs of hunger and of Dole,
To wreck our vessel on a Crosbie Shoal!

Pile on all sail, leave Local Rule astern,
And at the wheel let each man take his turn,
We have the guide - Confederation's star,
Oh, keep the course - we soon shall cross the bar.

Then shall the bays and coves with cheers resound,
With muskets blazing, firing round on round;
And bon-fires gleaming on the distant hills,
While every toiler's heart with Freedom thrills!


From "Battle Song of Newfoundland," The Confederate, 12 May 1948, p. 3.

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