With all the America bashing I have been reading, I wanted to share this with all of you.
The lyrics to this beautiful song were written by Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) an instructor at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, after an inspiring trip to the top of Pikes Peak, Colorado, in 1893.
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 of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every 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 every 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!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
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
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Originally posted by Checkmate187You're sure about this, huh....?
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
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Seems fraught with contradictions in these modern times, at least to me....
Originally posted by Checkmate187Beautiful, I suppose, if you believe in god. Not so much otherwise. But of course we all know that agnostics and atheists are not "real" Americans, now don't we?
With all the America bashing I have been reading, I wanted to share this with all of you.
The lyrics to this beautiful song were written by Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) an instructor at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, after an inspiring trip to the top of Pikes Peak, Colorado, in 1893.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grai ...[text shortened]... a! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Originally posted by Checkmate187If people really want to understand what America is about they should talk to the govenor of California. I'm sure he'll enlighten them.
Alright, forget it. Have it your way. Piss on America.
I love the "idea" of America, and I am sorry that the "reality" doesn't match.
(opens another beer)
Here is to ideas that often outshine the dim reality.
Cynical bastards.
Originally posted by Checkmate187I have nothing against songs that sing the praises of America. But when they include a reference to god in every verse, they are implicitly saying that atheists and agnostics are second class citizens whose views do not matter.
Alright, forget it. Have it your way. Piss on America.
I love the "idea" of America, and I am sorry that the "reality" doesn't match.
(opens another beer)
Here is to ideas that often outshine the dim reality.
Cynical bastards.
When I go to a baseball game, I gladly stand for "The Star Spangled Banner", but I always remain seated for "God Bless America".
Originally posted by rwingettAmen to that brother
I have nothing against songs that sing the praises of America. But when they include a reference to god in every verse, they are implicitly saying that atheists and agnostics are second class citizens whose views do not matter.
When I go to a baseball game, I gladly stand for "The Star Spangled Banner", but I always remain seated for "God Bless America".