America to Americans

AMERICA TO AMERICANS.

Joaquin Miller

ehold America! my land,
Unarmed, unharmed, whilst Europe groans
With weight of arms on either hand,
And hears a starving woman's moans.
My land that feeds, that leads the world,
Where dwells more strength in one small star
Of her brave, beauteous flag unfurled
Thau all their armaments of war.
My land, where man first knew his strength—
His strength of right, his fearful might;
His fearful, tawny, tiger-length
Of arm in battle for the right.
My land that shook from off her shores
A thousand British battle ships—
As when some lion wakes and roars
And walks the world and licks his lips!
My land that sows the world with gold,
That taught old worlds in lightning tongue,
That leads the old, that feeds the old,
And yet so young, so very young!
My land that reaches kindly, fair,
For cactus spear, for maple leaf,
As peaceful, loving harvester
Would gather sheaf to golden sheaf.
Come maple leaf, come stalwart mail
Of stout and sterling Canada;
Come cactus spear, come Darien—
To-morrow, if not yet to-day.
One flag for all, or far or near,
One faith for all whate'er befall
Or maple leaf, or cactus spear,
One star-built banner, built for all,

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