StoryTitle("caps", "Barbara Frietchie") ?>
Frietchie" will be beloved of all times because she was an old
woman (not necessarily an old lady) worthy of her years. Old age is
honourable if it carries a head that has a halo. (1807-92.)
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Up from the meadows rich with corn,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Clear in the cool September morn,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The clustered spires of Frederick stand", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Green-walled by the hills of Maryland.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Roundabout them orchards sweep,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Apple and peach tree fruited deep,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Fair as the garden of the Lord", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To the eyes of the famished rebel horde,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "On that pleasant morn of the early fall", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "When Lee marched over the mountain-wall,", "") ?>
PagePoem(97, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Over the mountains winding down,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Horse and foot, into Frederick town.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Forty flags with their silver stars,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Forty flags with their crimson bars,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Flapped in the morning wind: the sun", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Of noon looked down, and saw not one.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Bowed with her fourscore years and ten,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Bravest of all in Frederick town,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "She took up the flag the men hauled down.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "In her attic window the staff she set,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To show that one heart was loyal yet.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Up the street came the rebel tread,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Under his slouched hat left and right", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He glanced: the old flag met his sight.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Halt!\"—the dust-brown ranks stood fast.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Fire!\"—out blazed the rifle-blast.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It shivered the window, pane and sash;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It rent the banner with seam and gash.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Quick, as it fell, from the broken staff", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf.", "") ?>
PagePoem(98, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "She leaned far out on the window-sill,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And shook it forth with a royal will.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But spare your country's flag,\" she said.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Over the face of the leader came;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The nobler nature within him stirred", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To life at that woman's deed and word:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Who touches a hair of yon gray head", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Dies like a dog! March on!\" he said.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "All day long through Frederick street", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Sounded the tread of marching feet:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "All day long that free flag tost", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Over the heads of the rebel host.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Even its torn folds rose and fell", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "On the loyal winds that loved it well;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And through the hill-gaps sunset light", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Shone over it with a warm good-night.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And the rebel rides on his raids no more.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Honour to her! and let a tear", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier.", "") ?>
PagePoem(99, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Over Barbara Frietchie's grave,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Peace and order and beauty draw", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Round thy symbol of light and law;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And ever the stars above look down", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "On thy stars below in Frederick town!", "") ?>
PoemAttribution("100", SmallCapsText("John G. Whittier.")) ?>
PoemEnd() ?>