Classic Poem

My sword! My friend! My noble friend!
Champion fearless! Servant true!
Whom my fathers without end
In their thousand battles drew, —
Come!
Let me bear thee to the light!
Let me clutch thee in my hand!
Oh! how keen, how blue, how bright,
Is my noble, noble brand!

Thou wast plucked from some base mine,
Born 'midst stone and stubborn clay:
Ah! who dreamt that aught divine
In that rugged aspect lay?
Come!
Once we called and thou didst come
Straight from out thy sleep didst start.
And the trump and stormy drum
Woke at once thine iron heart!

Thou wast like the lightning, driven
By the tempest's strength at speed!
Brazen shields and armour riven
Told what thou couldst do, at need.
Come!
Hark! again the trumpets bray!
Hark! where rolls the stormy drum!
I am here to lead the way:
Servant of my fathers, — Come!