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Battle Hymn of the Republic poem 
Julia Ward Howe

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: 
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; 
He hath loosed the fatal lightning of his terrible swift sword: 
His Truth is marching on. 

have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; 
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps; 
an read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps. 
His Day is marching on. 

I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnished rows of steel: 
As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal; 
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, 
Since God is marching on.' 

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; 
He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment-seat: 
Oh! be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet! 
Our God is marching on. 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, 
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me: 
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, 
While God is marching on. 

 

 
Battle Hymn of the Republic poem
Julia Ward Howe
 

Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910)
First publication date: February 1862
This poem was written by Howe in the early days of the American Civil war to encourage the solders of the North to fight to free the slaves. If you enjoyed this poem and appreciated the lyrics of Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe you can see her biography and picture, by simply clicking on the Poem Index link below !  

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