| |
| FAR poured past Broadway’s lamps alight, | |
| The tumult of her motley throng, | |
| When high and clear upon the night | |
| Rose an inspiring song, | |
| And rang above the city’s din | 5 |
| To sound of harp and violin; | |
| A simple but a manly strain, | |
| And ending with the brave refrain— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| And now where rose that song of cheer, | 10 |
| Both old and young stood still for joy; | |
| Or from the windows hung to hear | |
| The children of Savoy: | |
| And many an eye with rapture glowed, | |
| And saddest hearts forgot their load, | 15 |
| And feeble souls grew strong again, | |
| So stirring was the brave refrain— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| Alone, with only silence there, | |
| Awaiting his life’s welcome close, | 20 |
| A sick man lay, when on the air | |
| That clarion arose; | |
| So sweet the thrilling cadence rang, | |
| It seemed to him an angel sang, | |
| And sang to him; and he would fain | 25 |
| Have died upon that heavenly strain— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| A sorrow-stricken man and wife, | |
| With nothing left them but to pray, | |
| Heard streaming over their sad life | 30 |
| That grand, heroic lay: | |
| And through the mist of happy tears | |
| They saw the promise-laden years; | |
| And in their joy they sang again, | |
| And carolled high the fond refrain— | 35 |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| Two artists, in the cloud of gloom | |
| Which hung upon their hopes deferred, | |
| Resounding through their garret-room | |
| That noble chanson heard; | 40 |
| And as the night before the day | |
| Their weak misgivings fled away; | |
| And with the burden of the strain | |
| They made their studio ring again— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | 45 |
| |
| Two poets, who in patience wrought | |
| The glory of an aftertime,— | |
| Lords of an age which knew them not, | |
| Heard rise that lofty rhyme; | |
| And on their hearts it fell, as falls | 50 |
| The sunshine upon prison-walls; | |
| And one caught up the magic strain | |
| And to the other sang again— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| And unto one, who, tired of breath, | 55 |
| And day and night and name and fame, | |
| Held to his lips a glass of death, | |
| That song a savior came; | |
| Beseeching him from his despair, | |
| As with the passion of a prayer; | 60 |
| And kindling in his heart and brain | |
| The valor of its blest refrain— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
| O thou, with earthly ills beset, | |
| Call to thy lips those words of joy, | 65 |
| And never in thy life forget | |
| The brave song of Savoy! | |
| For those dear words may have the power | |
| To cheer thee in thy darkest hour; | |
| The memory of that loved refrain | 70 |
| Bring gladness to thy heart again!— | |
| Courage! courage, mon camarade! | |
| |
