America the Beautiful
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Just me on Saturday, July 04, 2009 9:00 AM
My mother handed on to me a penchant for enjoying singing all the verses of songs. (You should hear us at Christmastime!)
When I was a child and we sang patriotic songs in school, it disappointed me when we’d stop after the first verse.
And with good reason, because those continuing verses are often the best part of the song!
“America the Beautiful” is my favorite. In honor of our Independence Day today, I’m sharing all the verses here. I hope they inspire you as you celebrate the birth of our great country!
O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!
O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev’ry gain divine!
O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
(Katharine Lee Bates)
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