Ethel Smyth


Words to The March of the Women

Due to popular request, we searched for and found an old copy of the words for
The March of the Women. Ethel Smyth copyrighted the four verses and the music in 1911.
This was a popular song of the suffrage movement.

Under the title of the song is the subtitle,
"Dedicated to the Women's Social and Political Union."

The words here are exactly as they appeared on the old copy of music, with the same caps, hyphens, and other punctuation. The words to the first stanza were written above the notated music.
Verses 2 to 4 were written beneath the end of the sheet music.


Verse 1

Shout, shout, up with your song!
Cry with the wind, for the dawn is breaking;
March, march, swing you along,
Wide blows our banner, and hope is waking.
Song with its story, dreams with their glory
Lo! they call, and glad is their word!
Loud and louder it swells,
Thunder of freedom, the voice of the Lord!


Verse 2

Long, long—we in the past
Cowered in dread from the light of heaven,
Strong, strong—stand we at last,
Fearless in faith and with sight new given.
Strength with its beauty, Life with its duty,
(Hear the voice, oh hear and obey!)
These, these—beckon us on!
Open your eyes to the blaze of day.


Verse 3

Comrades—ye who have dared
First in the battle to strive and sorrow!
Scorned, spurned—nought have ye cared,
Raising your eyes to a wider morrow,
Ways that are weary, days that are dreary,
Toil and pain by faith ye have borne;
Hail, hail—victors ye stand,
Wearing the wreath that the brave have worn!


Verse 4

Life, strife—those two are one,
Naught can ye win but by faith and daring.
On, on—that ye have done
But for the work of today preparing.
Firm in reliance, laugh a defiance,
(Laugh in hope, for sure is the end)
March, march—many as one,
Shoulder to shoulder and friend to friend.


Places to Go from Here

From this page, you can return to the list of compositions by Ethel Smyth, text about Ethel Smyth, or to the list of her books.

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