Finnagains (@Finnagains)

#Massachusetts: Tea for the Harbor The rocky nook with hill-tops three Looked eastward from the farms And twice each day the flowing sea Took Boston in its arms; The men of yore were stout and poor And sailed for bread to every shore And where they went on trade intent They did what freemen can Their dauntless ways did all men praise The merchant was a man The world was made for honest trade, To plant and eat be none afraid. Said the winds that sung the lads to sleep Like us be free and bold! The honest waves refuse to slaves The empire of the ocean caves Old Europe groans with palaces Has lords enough and more We plant and build by foaming seas A city of the poor For day by day could Boston Bay Their honest labor overpay Equal on Sunday in the pew, On Monday in the mall. For what avail the plough or sail, Or land or life, if freedom fail? The noble craftsmen we promote, Disown the knave and fool; Each honest man shall have his vote, Each child shall have his school. A union then of honest men, Or union nevermore again. Fair rose the planted hills behind The good town on the bay, And where the western hills declined The prairie stretched away. Each street leads downward to the sea, Or landward to the West." Bad news from George on the English throne: "You are thriving well," said he; "Now by these presents be it known You shall pay us a tax on tea It is very small, no load at all, Honor enough that we send the call." "Not so," said Boston, "good my lord, We pay your governors here Millions for self-government, But for tribute never a cent." The cargo came! and who could blame If Indians seized the tea, And, chest by chest, let down the same Into the laughing sea? The townsmen braved the English king Found friendship in the French O happy port that spied the sail Which wafted Lafayette! Pole-star of light in Europe's night That never faltered from the right Kings shook with fear, old empires crave The secret force to find Which fired the little State to save The rights of all mankind The sea returning day by day Restores the world-wide mart So let each dweller on the Bay Fold Boston in his heart Till these echoes be choked with snows Or over the town blue ocean flows And the wit of all her wisest Make sunshine in her brain. For you can teach the lightning speech And round the globe your voices reach And each shall care for other And each to each shall bend To the poor a noble brother To the good an equal friend A blessing through the ages thus Shield all thy roofs and towers