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| NOT mine with infancy’s film’d eyes | |
| To greet first light from past thy towers, | |
| That soar and dream in stainless skies, | |
| Nor heard I first thy chime told hours: | |
| Far, far from here my childhood’s morn— | 5 |
| But here was I reborn. | |
| |
| Not mine to taste the keen, salt spray, | |
| That tingling smites thy downward face— | |
| That stirs the blood, that breaks the fray | |
| Of life, in street and marketplace, | 10 |
| Where, wearied, none be soon outworn! | |
| But here was I reborn. | |
| |
| Here where ’twas given to indraw | |
| The air of larger freedom, yet | |
| To know the closer bond of law, | 15 |
| Here where Fate’s lusty blows are met, | |
| But not the pinprick and the thorn— | |
| Here where I was reborn! | |
| |
| In million beating hearts (thine own), | |
| A one pulsed world-heart first I felt; | 20 |
| Then, down upon thy paving stone, | |
| In thankfulness, I could have knelt, | |
| At one with all—of selfhood shorn— | |
| Here where I was reborn! | |
| |
| Dear unto each his native earth, | 25 |
| Renascent life thou gavest me, | |
| O city of my glad rebirth! | |
| I am thy native; shut from thee | |
| What but an exile most forlorn, | |
| I who was here reborn! | 30 |
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| Let who will count thee but as part | |
| Of this wide land—I, in my soul | |
| (More in the gravure on my heart) | |
| Proclaim thee greater than the whole! | |
| I am thy patriot. Do not scorn | 35 |
| Thy singer here reborn. | |
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