How does the second verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner” begin?
O long may it wave
And where is that band
Then conquer we must
On the shore dimly seen
The lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner” originate from a poem written by Francis Scott Key after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814. Interestingly, the national anthem has a total of four verses. The second verse commences with the lines, “On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep / Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes…” Although all four stanzas of the poem officially compose the National Anthem, it is the first verse that is most commonly sung and recognized by the public.
The correct answer is On the shore dimly seen.