A poem by Katharine A poem by Katharine Lee BatesLee Bates

In 1883 Katharine made her very first trip to the American West. At that time, she was 33 years old.

She stopped in Chicago to visit the World’s Fair and its model of a modern city, the first to be lighted by electricity.

Later, she went to Colorado Springs to teach a summer course in English religious drama. She decided to make a trip up to Pike’s Peak with her fellow professors.

“Prairie wagons, their tail-boards emblazoned with the traditional slogan “Pike’s Peak or Bust”, were pulled by horses up to the half-way house, where the horses were relieved by mules. We were hoping for half an hour on the summit, but two of our party became so faint in the rarified air that we were bundled into the wagons again and started on our downward plunge so speedily that our sojourn on the peak remains in memory hardly more than one ecstatic gaze.

It was then and there, as I was looking out over the sea-like expanse of fertile country spreading away so far under those ample skies, that the opening lines of the hymn floated into my mind!”

O beautiful for spacious O beautiful for spacious skiesskies

For amber waves of grainFor amber waves of grain

For purple mountain For purple mountain majestiesmajesties

Above the fruited plainAbove the fruited plain

America! America!America! America!

God shed his grace on God shed his grace on theethee

And crown thy goodAnd crown thy good

With brotherhoodWith brotherhood

From sea…From sea…

To shining sea!To shining sea!

O beautiful for heroes O beautiful for heroes provedproved

In liberating In liberating strifestrife

Who more than self Who more than self the country lovedthe country loved

And mercy more than life!And mercy more than life!

America! America!America! America!

God mend thine every God mend thine every flawflaw

Confirm thy soul in self Confirm thy soul in self controlcontrol

Thy liberty in law!Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for patriot O beautiful for patriot dreamdream

That sees beyond the That sees beyond the yearsyears

Thine alabaster cities Thine alabaster cities gleamgleam

Undimmed by human Undimmed by human tearstears

America, America!America, America!

God shed his grace on God shed his grace on theethee

And crown thy goodAnd crown thy good

With brotherhoodWith brotherhood

From sea…From sea…

To shining sea!To shining sea!

Visit:http://www.pikespeakcam.com/

FOR LIVE PICTURES OF PIKE’S PEAK!

THE THE ENDEND

Created by Patricia OesteCreated by Patricia Oeste

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