America To Russia (Songs Of Welcome And Farewell)

Though watery deserts hold apart     The worlds of East and West,     Still beats the selfsame human heart     In each proud Nation's breast.     Our floating turret tempts the main     And dares the howling blast     To clasp more close the golden chain     That long has bound them fast.     In vain the gales of ocean sweep,     In vain the billows roar     That chafe the wild and stormy steep     Of storied Elsinore.     She comes! She comes! her banners dip     In Neva's flashing tide,     With greetings on her cannon's lip,     The storm-god's iron bride!     Peace garlands with the olive-bough     Her thunder-bearing tower,     And plants before her cleaving prow     The sea-foam's milk-white flower.     No prairies heaped their garnered store     To fill her sunless hold,     Not rich Nevada's gleaming ore     Its hidden caves infold,     But lightly as the sea-bird swings     She floats the depths above,     A breath of flame to lend her wings,     Her freight a people's love!     When darkness hid the starry skies     In war's long winter night,     One ray still cheered our straining eyes,     The far-off Northern light.     And now the friendly rays return     From lights that glow afar,     Those clustered lamps of Heaven that burn     Around the Western Star.     A nation's love in tears and smiles     We bear across the sea,     O Neva of the banded isles,     We moor our hearts in thee!