AMERICA
I hear America singing . . .
And the great prophet passed,
Serene, clear and untroubled
Into the silence vast.
When will the master-poet
Rise, with vision strong,
To mold her manifold music
Into a living song?
I hear America singing . . .
Beyond the beat and stress,
The chant of her shrill, unjaded,
Empiric loveliness.
Laughter, beyond mere scorning,
Wisdom surpassing wit,
Love, and the unscathed spirit,
These shall encompass it.
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