"Lincoln's Requiem" (1865)
[Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865]
Words by Irene Boynton
Music by James A. Butterfield, 1837-1891

Chicago: H.M. Higgins, 117 Randolf St.
Eng'd at Clayton's.
[Source:
COLLECTION
Sheet Music from the Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana
REPOSITORY
Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
DIGITAL ID
scsm0022]

1. Dead! dead! how swift the dire news flies,
And wakes a nation’s agonies!
From town to town, from mouth to mouth,
Swift spreads the dreaded message forth;
In lowly cot, in lordly hall,
This grief enshrouds and covers all.
And on the breast droops ev’ry head, 
In sorrow for the noble dead.

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
Oh, weep for fallen greatness! weep!
Let tears express our woes;
But while our Lincoln’s soul doth sleep, 
Brave men strike down his foes!

2. Dead! dead! but not as warriors die,
He fell not shouting battle cry
Not in the open light of heav’n—
Not in his home his soul was riven—
Not on the plain where hand to hand
The brave cross blade with foemen's brand,
But where the waves of pleasure flow,
Death aim’d his shaft thro’ secret foe.

3. Dead! dead! and now when hopes were high,
And war’s dread curse was passing by,
When traitors had their madness stay’d,
And hero hands sheathed vengeful blade,
When homes and hearthstones gleam’d afar,
To manly hearts grown tired of war,
And long wooed peace had left the sky,
It was no time for him to die.

4. Dead! dead! and when the millions free
Sent up their shouts of liberty,
When from the depths of bondage wrung,
Sweet freedom’s song, by freedmen sung;
When million hearts their thanks out pour’d
And angel ears in pleasure heard,
When words his hand has trac’d live on
It is not meet to mourn him gone.

5. Dead! dead! and has he died in vain?
Shall we in lethargy remain?
His years of patriot toil forget
Shall unavenged his life sun set?
No! for this blow in treach’ry given,
The smoke of strife shall rise to heav’n,
And ’till our flag in triumph waves
His foes and ours find bloody graves!