Pro Memoria
Air — There Is Rest for the Weary
By Ina M. Porter, of Alabama
Lo! the Southland Queen, emerging
From her sad and wintry gloom,
Robes her torn and bleeding bosom
In her richest orient bloom:
CHORUS.—(Repeat first line three times.)
For her weary sons are resting
By the Edenshore;
They have won the crown immortal,
And the cross of death is o’er!
Where the Oriflamme is burning
On the starlit Edenshore!
Brightly still, in gorgeous glory,
God’s great jewel lights our sky;
Look! upon the heart’s white dial
There’s a SHADOW flitting by!
CHORUS.—But the weary feet are resting, etc.
Homes are dark and hearts are weary,
Souls are numb with hopeless pain;
For the footfall on the threshold
Never more to sound again!
CHORUS.—They have gone from us forever,
Aye, for evermore!
We must win the crown immortal,
Follow where they led before,
Where the Oriflamme is burning
On the starlit Edenshore.
Proudly, as our Southern forests
Meet the winter’s shafts so keen:
Time-defying memories cluster
Round our hearts in living green.
CHORUS.—They have gone from us forever, etc.
May our faltering voices mingle
In the angel-chanted psalm;
May our earthly chaplets linger
By the bright celestial palm.
CHORUS.—They have gone from us forever, etc.
Crest to crest they bore our banner,
Side by side they fell asleep;
Hand in hand we scatter flowers,
Heart to heart we kneel and weep!
CHORUS.—They have gone from us forever, etc.
When the May eternal dawneth
At the living God’s behest,
We will quaff divine Nepenthe,
We will share the Soldier’s rest.
CHORUS.—Where the weary feet are resting, etc.
Where the shadows are uplifted
’Neath the never-waning sun,
Shout we, Gloria in Excelsis!
We have lost, but ye have won!
CHORUS.—Our hearts are yours forever,
Aye, for evermore!
Ye have won the crown immortal,
And the cross of death is o’er,
Where the Oriflamme is burning
On the starlit Edenshore!