Poems for our Children/My Country

by Sarah J. Hale

For works with similar titles, see My Country.

MY COUNTRY.

America! my own dear land,—
O, 'tis a lovely land to me;
I thank my God that I was born
Where man is free!

Our land—it is a glorious land—
And wide it spreads from sea to sea—
And sister States in Union join
And all are free.

And equal laws we all obey,—
To kings we never bend the knee—
We may not own no Lord but God
Where all are free.

We' ve lofty hills and sunny vales
And streams that roll to either sea—^[1]
And through this large and varied land
Alike we 're free.

You hear the sounds of healthful toil,
And youth's gay shout and childhood's glee,
And every one in safety dwells,
And all are free.

We 're brothers all from South to North,
One bond will draw us to agree—
We love this country of our birth—
We love the free—

We love the name of Washington,
I lisped it on my father's knee—
And we shall ne'er forget the name
While we are free.

My Land, my own dear native Land,
Thou art a lovely land to me;
I bless my God that I was born
Where man is free!

1. Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.