The coming of the light

By D. J. Nicoll. Tune – The Wearing of the Green.

Hark! the sound of many voices proclaims the dawn of day,
And in the glow of morning the shadows fade away;
Lo, the trumpet-call is ringing, and the sky is clear and bright,
And your masters flee in terror at the coming of the light.
 - O, the coming of the light; O, the coming of the light!
 - Lo, your masters flee in terror at the coming of the light.

March, march, ye swarming myriads, from valley and from slum;
The gods of this world tremble with a fear that strikes them dumb,
Arm, arm, then, and make ready – for ye know that might is right,
And the workers’ strength shall prove it at the coming of the light.
 - O, the coming of the light; O, the coming of the light,
 - And the workers’ strength shall prove it at the coming of the light.

Raise again the blood-red banner that your masters fear to see,
With the Phrygian cap upon it that tells of liberty.
Once more, then, raise the banner – short and brief shall be the fight
For the people march to battle at the coming of the light.
 - O, the coming of the light; O, the coming of the light!
 - When the people march to battle at the coming of the light.

Now, beneath the rule of robbers the world grows sad and old,
The people bound and fettered by a chain of glittering gold;
But when the trumpet soundeth, the world shall see a sight –
The golden chain is broken at the coming of the light.
 - O, the coming of the light; O, the coming of the light!
 - The golden chain is broken at the coming of the light.

From a socialist song sheet from 1895, published by the Leicester Anarchist-Communists. You can see the songsheet at https://www.andrewwhitehead.net/political-ephemera.html (Thanks to AW for supplying the image of ‘Coming of the light’)