America is a Beautiful Place
I love our National Anthem. It is strong. The words have force and it can be played with soft passages followed by magnificent crescendos. It fits this country. But, of course, it is well nigh impossible to sing. [Not that I can sing anything. I may have many good qualities but anything approaching, “the arts” falls well out of my bailiwick.] But whether I sing it or just lip sync, The Star Spangled Banner is a great anthem. However, it is not my favorite patriotic song. That ranking goes to America the Beautiful, written by Katherine Lee Bates in 1893. America the Beautiful O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! Most every American knows that first verse. They also know that Bates wrote the original poem (there have been three different versions—I’m using the las