6. "the foulest crime in the annals of history." 7. "one of the best things in the world to have." "the land of the free and the home of the brave." 8. 9. "that President McKinley had been assassinated." CHAPTER LII III. AMERICA For Study and Composition These two poems do not compare America with other lands, but they express a love so pure and intense that each poem is really a prayer. Every stanza of the first poem does indeed close with a prayer, and the last stanza of the last poem is also a prayer, a prayer sung by thousands of Americans every day. I am sure that you know America by heart. I hope that you also know or will now learn America the Beautiful by heart. But remember that you do not truly know any poem by heart unless you understand it and can write down every stanza without making a mistake in spelling, capitals, punctuation, or line length. I O beautiful for spacious skies, For purple mountain majesties America! America ! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet, America! America! God mend thine every flaw, O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, America! America! May God thy gold refine, O beautiful for patriot dream America! America! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! - KATHARINE LEE BATES: America the Beautiful. Before taking up the exercises on page 144, read this poem several times as a whole; then read it with special attention to the first line of each stanza. II My country, 'tis of thee, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, My native country, thee, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Let music swell the breeze, Let mortal tongues awake, Our fathers' God, to Thee, To Thee we sing; Long may our land be bright Great God, our King. - SAMUEL FRANCIS SMITH: America (1832). EXERCISES I 1. Write on the board the first line of every stanza of America the Beautiful. Talk about these lines as illustrations of what was said in Chapter XXXVI. 2. Which stanza refers to the present? which two to the past? which one to the future? Which stanza makes you think of the natural scenery of your own state? Which recalls the career of Daniel Boone and other pioneers? Which turns your thoughts to Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Lee? Which pays tribute to our great prose writers and poets? 3. Talk for not more than two minutes on "Why I Think America Beautiful." 4. Write a paragraph on the same topic. II 1. The author of America once added this stanza to his poem: No more shall tyrants here No more shall tyrants tread No more our blood be shed Was he wise or otherwise to omit it? Give reasons for your answer. 2. In which stanza does the author change from I and my to we and our? Why? 3. With books closed, write the stanzas of America from memory. CHAPTER LIII THE PHRASE Study the following sentences: 1. The crown of gold was placed upon the king's head. 2. Hiawatha walked toward the Indian village. 3. The Indians hailed Hiawatha with applause. The groups of words in italics have no subject and predicate. They are called phrases. Verb phrases have already been treated (see Chapter XLIII), but the most common phrases begin with a preposition, as: "in the house," "into the yard," "with your aid," etc. If I say "A man of great wealth," the phrase "of great wealth" is an adjective because it modifies the noun man." If I say "He speaks with a certain hesitation," the phrase "with a certain hesitation" is an adverb because it modifies the verb "speaks." Here are examples of the three usual kinds of phrases: Verb Phrases. 1. Spring is coming. 2. They ought to have gone. 3. The money had not been collected by him. 4. Where have you been? |