Sursum Corda Poem by Maria Frances Cecilia Cowper

Lift up your hearts ! A foe is at the gate
Jealous of England's greatness, jealous too
Of all that she has done and yet may do.
His trust is in the sword, upon him wait
Terror and rapine : pitiless as fate
He tramples on the weak, and now would strew
Our English fields with English dead. To you
Is given to stay him ere it be too late.
Lift up your hearts ! We lift them up, and go
Most joyfully to battle, proud to be
In this our generation, of an age
To do our country service. Even so
In days gone by our fathers fought, and we
Are now the keepers of their heritage.