Song of Democracy

An old man's thought of school
An old man gathering youthful memories and blooms
That youth itself cannot
Now only do I know you
O fair auroral skies
Now only do I know you

O morning dew upon the grass
O morning dew upon the grass

And these I see
These sparkling eyes

These stores of mystic meaning these young lives
These stores of mystic meaning these young lives
Building, building, building, building
Equipping like a fleet of ships
Immortal ships

Building, building
Equipping like a fleet of ships
Equipping like a fleet of ships
Immortal ships

Building, building, building
(Building, building, building)
Equipping like a fleet of ships
(Equipping like a fleet of ships)
Soon to sail out over the measureless seas
Soon to sail out over the measureless seas
Soon to sail out over the seas
On the soul's voyage

Ah

Only a lot of boys and girls?
Only the tiresome spelling
Writing
Ciphering classes?
Only a public school?
Ah more
Infinitely more

And you America
America
Cast you the real reckoning for your present
The lights and shadows of your future
Good or evil

To girlhood boyhood
Look
The teacher and the school

Sail
Sail thy best ship of Democracy
Of value is thy freight
'Tis not the present only
The past is also stored in thee
Sail
Sail thy best ship of Democracy
Of value is thy freight
'Tis not the present only
The past is also stored in thee
Thou holdest not the venture of thyself alone
Not of thy western continent alone
Earth's resume entire floats on thy keel
O ship is steadied by thy spars
With thee time voyages in trust
The antecedent nations seek or swim with thee
Through all their struggles
Thou bears't the other continents
Theirs
Theirs as much as thine
The destination port triumphant

Steer then with good strong hand and weary eye
O helmsman
Steer then with good strong hand and weary eye
Steer then with good strong hand and weary eye
Steer then with good strong hand and weary eye
Steer then with good strong hand and weary eye
O helmsman
Steer o helmsman

Venerable priestly Asia sails this day with thee
And royal feudal Europe sails with thee
With thee
With thee

Sail
Sail thy best ship of Democracy
Of value is thy freight
'Tis not the present only
The past is also stored in thee
Sail
Sail thy best ship of Democracy
Of value is thy freight
Of value is thy freight
Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah
Sail
Sail