MATERNA
Author: Katharine Lee Bates, 1859-1929
Musician: Samuel A. Ward, 1847-1903
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!
The fact that Memorial Day was designed to honor our fallen heroes and to comfort the mothers and widow and daughters and brethren of those fallen.
I am interested that the first line of this song points to the sky. Seeming to say, look up, dear grieving women. We live in a country of beautiful skies, mountains and plains. Take your eyes off the grave, dear grieving ones, look at the country that they died to save.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thorough-fare 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,
Lord we have broken our alabaster cities on Your feet, to fight for a land of freedom and honor to Your Word. By lending our loved ones into the fight for freedom, we have believed that You will maintain our freedoms and help us to be and keep the children's eyes on Christ and Him crucified. See our sacrifices and see the honor of the things that we have poured upon You. Help us not to grieve as those who have no hope.
Bless our sacrifice and preserve our hopes in You, Amen!
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