The Liberty Tree - Karan Casey

It was the year of '93

The French did plant an olive tree

The symbol of great liberty

And the people danced around it

O 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 dumb-founded

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 human-kind

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

O wasn’t I telling you

The French declared courageously

That Equality, Freedom and Fraternity

Would be the cry of every nation