O Beautiful, My Country Thee

O beautiful, my country thee, the pride of pilgrim dreams My home beneath an azure sky, is where the sunlight gleams America, America, forever proud and free Your governance, in righteousness, preserves our liberty With gratitude, for blessings great, we move our work along Each sacrifice we make today, will keep us safe and strong America, America, a beacon to the world Your vigilance, with steadiness, will keep our flag unfurled We recognize, with grateful pride, our soldiers in the field Who give their lives to keep us free, when lesser causes yield America, America, where peace thru strength prevails Your bravery, inspires me, your courage never fails In every heart, where virtue lies, there lives prosperity Imbued with firm resolve to serve, with true humility America, America, may God thy glory be And in thy peace, may we increase, in love and charity The pioneers, of long ago, were just like you and me They came to seek a better life, to leave posterity America, America, on mountain, plain, and sea May you remain, through every gain, the crown of history! Submitted to "Same Old Song poetry contest" by Beth Evans, on July 16, 2020