George Frederick Root - Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (The Prisoner's Hope) lyrics

[Verse 1] In the prison cell I sit, thinking mother, dear, of you And our bright and happy home so far away And the tears they fill my eyes, in spite of all that I can do Though I try to cheer my comrades and be gay [Chorus] Tramp, tramp, tramp! The boys are marching Cheer up, comrades, they will come And beneath the starry flag, we shall breathe the air again Of the free land in our own beloved homes [Verse 2] In the battle front we stood when their fiercest charge they made And they swept us off, a hundred men or more But before they reached our lines, they were beaten back, dismayed And we heard the cry of victory o'er and o'er [Chorus] Tramp, tramp, tramp! The boys are marching Cheer up, comrades, they will come And beneath the starry flag, we shall breathe the air again Of the free land in our own beloved homes [Verse 3] So within the prison cell, we are waiting for the day That you'll come to open wide the iron door And the hollow eye grow bright and the poor heart almost gay When we think of seeing home and friends once more [Chorus] Tramp, tramp, tramp! The boys are marching Cheer up, comrades, they will come And beneath the starry flag, we shall breathe the air again Of the free land in our own beloved homes