Upton Sinclair, ed. (1878–1968).
The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest. 1915. | | | Our Country
(Read July 4, 1883) |
By John Greenleaf Whittier |
(New England Quaker poet, 1807–1892; a prominent anti-slavery advocate) |
| | | WE give thy natal day to hope, | |
| O country of our love and prayer! | |
| Thy way is down no fatal slope, | |
| But up to freer sun and air. | |
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| Tried as by furnace fires, and yet | 5 |
| By God’s grace only stronger made, | |
| In future task before thee set | |
| Thou shalt not lack the old-time aid. | |
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| Great, without seeking to be great | |
| By fraud of conquest; rich in gold, | 10 |
| But richer in the large estate | |
| Of virtue which thy children hold. | |
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| With peace that comes of purity, | |
| And strength to simple justice due— | |
| So runs our loyal dream of thee; | 15 |
| God of our fathers! make it true. | |
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| O land of lands! to thee we give | |
| Our love, our trust, our service free; | |
| For thee thy sons shall nobly live, | |
| And at thy need shall die for thee. | 20 | | | |
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