By NBC News
The tune is familiar — it’s “O, Tannenbaum”/”O, Christmas Tree.” But the words to Maryland’s state song are anachronistically odd:
The despot’s heel is on thy shore, Maryland! His torch is at thy temple door, Maryland! Avenge the patriotic gore, that flecked the streets of Baltimore, and be the battle queen of yore, Maryland! My Maryland!
And later:
I hear the distant thunder-hum, Maryland! The Old Line’s bugle, fife, and drum, Maryland! She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb — Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum! She breathes! She burns! She’ll come! She’ll come! Maryland! My Maryland!
It’s a . . .
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com