Nancy Hanks

Prairie child,

Brief as dew,

What winds of wonder

Nourished you?

Rolling plains

Of billowy green,

Far horizons,

Blue, serene;

Lofty skies

The slow clouds climb,

Where burning stars

Beat out the time:

These, and the dreams

Of fathers bold,

Baffled longings,

Hopes untold,

Gave to you

A heart of fire,

Love like deep waters,

Brave desire.

Ah, when youth's rapture

Went out in pain,

And all seemed over,

Was all in vain?

O soul obscure,

Whose wings life bound,

And soft death folded

Under the ground;

Wilding lady,

Still and true,

Who gave us Lincoln

And never knew:

To you at last

Our praise, our tears,

Love and a song

Through The nation’s years!

Mother of Lincoln,

Our tears, our praise;

A battle-flag

And the victor's bays!