ds_flashfiction | New Challenge: National Anthems (Reply)

In the spirit of trans-border cooperation, let's have a challenge inspired by the national anthems of the United States and Canada. You can use the words of the anthems themselves, something about singing them (hello sporting events, the Olympics, etc.) or anything else anthem-related you can dream up!

Lyrics to The Star-Spangled Banner. Yes, the whole thing. Didn't know it was so long, did ya?

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And now for O Canada (a much more reasonable song for multiple reasons), with bilingual bonus:

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.

Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Authors: please tag your fic with your author tag. If you are new, I will make a tag for you as soon as I get the posting notification.

This challenge will run until February 23, 2020 at midnight, Chicago time (CDT, UTC-6). Please tag your entries with 'challenge: national anthems’. Have fun, everyone!

If you have suggestions for future challenges, please comment to the community sticky post with your idea.