Friday, July 4, 2008

O Beautiful for Spacious Skies (America the Beautiful)

Katharine Lee Bates first published "America the Beautiful" in 1895 in The Congregationalist.  It was originally entitled, "O Beautiful for Halcyon Skies."  She made a number of changes to the original 1895 text in a revised version published in 1904.  Her final version, revised for the last time in 1911, is what is printed here.

The main themes of  "America the Beautiful" are themes that Bates explored all her life:  the wonder of nature, the vitality of our nation, its treasured past and its infinite potential for the future.  Bates' niece wrote in her biography of Katherine Bates' life, Dream and Deed, about Bates' idealism in Katherine's own words:  "The heart must 'outsoar the hand.' "  That idea is reinforced in each verse:  an opening celebration, a brief prayer, then a challenge to make America better.  "America the Beautiful" is a portrait of America not only as she is, but as she could be.

Happy Fourth of July!


1.  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!

2.  O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
        Whose stern, impassioned stress
     A thoroughfare for freedom beat
        Across the wilderness!
     America!  America!
        God mend thine every flaw,
     Confirm thy soul in self-control,
        Thy liberty in law!

3.  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!

4.  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!

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