America For Me
‘Tis fine to see the old
world and gravel up and down
Among the famous palaces and
cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly
castles and the statues of the Kings –
But now I think I’ve had
enough of antiquated things.
So it’s home again, and home
again, America for me!
My heart is turning home
again, and there I long to be,
In the land of youth and
freedom beyond the ocean bars
Where the air is full of
sunshine and the flag is full of stars.
Oh, London is a man’s town,
there’s power in the air;
And Paris is a woman’s town
with flowers in her hair;
And it’s sweet to dream in
Venice, and it’s great to study in Rome,
But when it comes to living,
there is no place like home.
I like the German fir woods,
in green Battalions drilled;
I like the gardens of
Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
But, oh, to take your hand
my dear and ramble for a day
In the friendly western
woodland where nature has her way!
I know that Europe’s
wonderful yet something seems to lack
The past is too much with
her and the people looking back.
But the glory of the present
is to make the future free –
We love our land for what
she is and what she is to be.
Oh, it’s home again, and
home again, America for me!
I want a ship that’s
westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed land of room
enough beyond the ocean bars
Where the air is full of sunlight
and the flag is full of stars.