Karan Casey - The Liberty Tree

'Twas the year of '93
The French did plant an olive tree
The symbol of great liberty
And the people danced around it
Oh wasn't I telling you
The French declared courageously
That equality, freedom and fraternity
Would be the cry of every nation

In '94 a new campaign
The tools of darkness did maintain
Gall's brave sons, they did form a league
And their foes, they were dumbfounded
They gave to Flanders liberty
And all its people they set free
The Dutch and Austrians home did flee
And the dukes they were confounded

Behold, may all of humankind
Emancipated with the French combine
May laurels green all on them shine
And their sons and daughters long wear them
May every tyrant shake with dread
And tremble for their guilty head
May the fleur-de-lis in dust be laid
And they no longer wear them

For church and state in close embrace
Is the burden of the human race
And the people tell you to your face
That you will long repent it
For kings in power and preaching drones
Are the cause of all your heavy groans
Down from your pulpits, down from your thrones
You will tumble unlamented

Oh wasn't I telling you
The French declared courageously
That equality, freedom and fraternity
Would be the cry of every nation
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