My brother, I tell you no new truth, Though a deep and wondrous truth. You may have forgotten--forgotten it! You, who have been here too long-- My brother, know it again, again! Or you, newcomer, no one may have told you-- Hear me, then! It is a faith,-- A faith on which hangs all the law and the singer’s prophecy; Which cuts down to the life-roots of our Being; Which lays bare the red-flowing blood,--the sap of life; And the white-shining Light,--the blossoms of life; Which makes us stand before our grave, and face to face with God. Blessed are the men of the past who saw the Light, who had the faith! It is a faith,-- The faith that through our democracy, A government and a people sprung from American soil, Many peoples, peoples sprung from the races of the world-- Through this democracy-- The high-held promises that sleep in man, Infinite stretches of powers potential, Social, intellectual, moral, In embryo traced in lines of beauty, Can into vital life be quickened, Strike deep their roots, Fed in this wondrous soil, And gather mighty powers of growth, Unfolding wing on wing of nascent life, Nearing the stature of ideal selfhood God has destined they should be, Through this democracy, Through a democracy of many peoples, The great American Experiment, The new hope-anointed start, A nation in which the people are the rulers, A free people of peoples free, Living in concord one with another, Striving steadfast for a high humanity, Reaching out to the ends of the world, Making an end of Race for the sake of Man, A humanity, great because it is a race of races, Great because pledged to advance the statehood of man, Crowned with the crown of freedom, Won with eyes and ears, and swords and plows, And creative brother-will, And love for noble deeds, and noble song, and noble art, Calling all men “brothers.”-- That is America’s Soul! Her Soul in the making. WE MUST BE TRUE We must be true, with faith renew Our solemn vows, forever true! True as the very prairie grass, The woods and fields and soil and mass Of rock, which sun and air have wrought,-- Growing without a thought, Truly American! True to historic days, the flow And national ebb of times ago! True to the very drops of life, The battles fought, the stress and strife Of anguished years to make man free,-- Loving our Liberty, Truly American! True to the Lincoln man, the love-chart Of a great impassioned human heart! True to the very cry of our Soul For better days, the far-out goal Of struggling man,--knowing no race, Lighted by a brother’s face, Truly American! We must be true, with faith renew Our solemn vows, forever true! True to the very stars above, To truth, to freedom, justice, love For right; yea, unfaltering,--with the brave, Ready for a freeman’s grave, Truly American! FOOTNOTE: