Prairie child, <br />Brief as dew, <br />What winds of wonder <br />Nourished you? <br /> <br />Rolling plains <br />Of billowy green, <br />Far horizons, <br />Blue, serene; <br /> <br />Lofty skies <br />The slow clouds climb, <br />Where burning stars <br />Beat out the time: <br /> <br />These, and the dreams <br />Of fathers bold, <br />Baffled longings, <br />Hopes untold, <br /> <br />Gave to you <br />A heart of fire, <br />Love like deep waters, <br />Brave desire. <br /> <br />Ah, when youth's rapture <br />Went out in pain, <br />And all seemed over, <br />Was all in vain? <br /> <br />O soul obscure, <br />Whose wings life bound, <br />And soft death folded <br />Under the ground; <br /> <br />Wilding lady, <br />Still and true, <br />Who gave us Lincoln <br />And never knew: <br /> <br />To you at last <br />Our praise, our tears, <br />Love and a song <br />Through The nation’s years! <br /> <br />Mother of Lincoln, <br />Our tears, our praise; <br />A battle-flag <br />And the victor's bays!<br /><br />Harriet Monroe<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nancy-hanks/
