Undaunted on this base UNMANIFEST DESTINY RICHARD HOVEY To what new fates, my country, far Across the sea that knows no beach The guns that spoke at Lexington Knew not that God was planning then The trumpet word of Jefferson To bugle forth the rights of men. To them that wept and cursed Bull Run, What was it but despair and shame? Who saw behind the cloud the sun? Who knew that God was in the flame? Had not defeat upon defeat, The slave's emancipated feet Had never marched behind the drum. There is a Hand that bends our deeds I do not know beneath what sky I only know it shall be great. THE SHIP OF DEMOCRACY Extract from Thou Mother With Thy Equal Brood WALT WHITMAN SAIL, sail thy best, ship of Democracy, Of value is thy freight, 'tis not the Present only, Thou holdest not the venture of thyself alone, not of the Western continent alone, Earth's résumé entire floats on thy keel, O ship, is steadied by thy spars, With thee Time voyages in trust, the antecedent nations sink or swim with thee, With all their ancient struggles, martyrs, heroes, epics, wars, thou bear'st the other continents, Theirs, theirs as much as thine, the destination-port triumphant; Steer then with good strong hand and wary eye O LAND THAT WE LOVE Extract from The Great Remembrance RICHARD WATSON GILDER LAND that we love! Thou Future of the World! For thou thyself art Hope, Hope of the World thou art! AD PATRIAM CLINTON SCOLLARD To deities of gauds and gold, Land of our Fathers, do not bow! But unto those beloved of old Bend thou the brow! Austere they were of front and form; Yet in them pulsed a blood as warm Honor, whose foster-child is Truth; Give these thy worship; then no fears AMERICA Extract from The Centennial Cantata Now Praise to God's oft-granted grace, How long, Good Angel, O how long? "Long as thine Art shall love true love, So long, dear Land of all my love, Thy name shall shine, thy fame shall glow! COLUMBIA Finale of The Columbian Ode HARRIET MONROE COLUMBIA, my country, dost thou hear? Ah! dost thou hear the songs unheard of Time? Hark! for their passion trembles at thine ear. Hush! for thy soul must heed their call sublime. Across wide seas, unswept by earthly sails, Those strange sounds draw thee on, for thou shalt be Leader of nations through the autumnal gales That wait to mock the strong and wreck the free. Dearer, more radiant than of yore, Against the dark I see thee rise; Thy young smile spurns the guarded shore |