"One ought, everyday at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture and speak a few reasonable words." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Monday, May 30, 2011

In Honor of Memorial Day

             America the Beautiful
                                  Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
                                        Words by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,                                                  O beautiful for pilgrim feet
For amber waves of grain,                                                            Whose stern impassioned stress
For purple mountain majesties                                               A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Above the fruited plain!                                                                Across the wilderness!
America! America!                                                                           America! America!
God shed his grace on thee                                                          God mend thine every flaw,
And crown thy good with brotherhood                              Confirm thy soul in self-control,
From sea to shining sea!                                                              Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved                                                  O beautiful for patriot dream    
In liberating strife.                                                                        That sees beyond the years
Who more than self their country loved                         Thine alabaster cities gleam
And mercy more than life!                                                        Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!                                                                         America! America!
May God thy gold refine                                                              God shed his grace on thee
Till all success be nobleness                                                   And crown thy good with brotherhood
And every gain divine!                                                                From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,                                                O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
For amber waves of grain,                                                         Whose stem impassioned stress
For purple mountain majesties                                            A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Above the enameled plain!                                                       Across the wilderness!
America! America!                                                                        America! America!
God shed his grace on thee                                                        God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air                                  Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought
And music-hearted sea!                                                             By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale                                                          O beautiful for patriot dream
Of liberating strife                                                                         That sees beyond the years
When once and twice, for man’s avail                             Thine alabaster cities gleam                  

Men lavished precious life!                                                     Undimmed by human tears!      

America! America!                                                                       America! America!
God shed his grace on thee                                                       God shed his grace on thee                  

Till selfish gain no longer stain                                         Till nobler men keep once again           
The banner of the free!                                                                Thy whiter jubilee!

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