As a strong bird on pinions¹ free，

    Joyous²， the amplest spaces heavenward cleaving³，

    Such be the thought I'd think of thee America，

    Such be the recitative I'd bring for thee.

    The conceits⁴ of the poets of other lands I'd bring thee not，

    Nor the compliments that have served their turn so long，

    Nor rhyme， nor the classics， nor perfume of foreign court or

    indoor library；

    But an odor I'd bring as from forests of pine in Maine， or

    breath of an Illinois prairie，

    With open airs of Virginia or Georgia or Tennessee， or from

    Texas uplands， or Florida's glades⁵，

    Or the Saguenay's black stream， or the wide blue spread of

    Huron，

    With presentment of Yellowstone's scenes， or Yosemite，

    And murmuring under， pervading⁶ all， I'd bring the rustling⁷

    sea-sound，

    That endlessly sounds from the two Great Seas of the world.

    And for thy subtler sense subtler refrains dread⁸ Mother，

    Preludes⁹ of intellect tallying¹⁰ these and thee， mind- formulas

    fitted for thee， real and sane¹¹ and large as these and thee，

    Thou！ mounting higher， diving deeper than we knew， thou

    transcendental Union！

    By thee fact to be justified¹²， blended with thought，

    Thought of man justified， blended with God，

    Through thy idea， lo， the immortal¹³ reality！

    Through thy reality， lo， the immortal ideal！