History & Politics

Indiana

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From Afterwhiles (1887)

History & Politics

Our Land-- our Home-- the common home indeed
Of soil-born children and adopted ones--
The stately daughters and the stalwart sons
Of Industry--: All greeting and godspeed!
O home to proudly live for, and if need
Be proudly die for, with the roar of guns
Blent with our latest prayer--. So died men once...
Lo Peace...! As we look on the land They freed--
Its harvests all in ocean-over flow
Poured round autumnal coasts in billowy gold--
Its corn and wine and balmed fruits and flow'rs--,
We know the exaltation that they know
Who now, steadfast inheritors, behold
The Land Elysian, marvelling "This is ours?"

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Indiana.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/237/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Indiana.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/237/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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