Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,–
One, if by land, and two, if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
Then he said, "Good night!" and with muffled oar
silently rowed to the Charlestown shore, . .

These verses capture the legendary night ride of Paul Revere, immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Revere's clandestine mission was a crucial moment on the eve of the American Revolutionary War. The poem opens with an invitation to listen to a story few alive can recall, underscoring the passage of time and the fading of firsthand memory. Revere's instructions to "hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch" illustrate the covert communication tactics of the patriots. "One, if by land, and two, if by sea" conveys the dual threat posed by British forces and Revere’s readiness to spread the alarm. The imagery of Revere rowing "silently" to Charlestown heightens the tension and reflects the urgency of the moment. Longfellow’s rhythmic narrative not only preserves this historical event but also instills a sense of national pride and reverence for the past.