America, the Hallelujah

According to thy word. Affliction is
a stormy deep. Again the day returns.
And there is, _____, a rest. Angels roll
the rock. Another day is past. Another
six days work. Another year. As the heart
with eager. Behold a stranger.
Brightest and best of bright. Brother,
thou art gone. Call me away. Flung
to the heedless. Forgive my folly.
From earliest dawn. From every
stormy. From Greenland’s icy. Gently
glides the stream. Gently, O gently. Give
Glorious things. Had not a word. Happy
is he who. Happy the man whose. Hark!
what mean these. Hear what
the voice. How beautiful the sight. How
blest is every. How blest the man. How did
my heart. How precious is the —
I love the volume.
I’m but a stranger. I’m but a weary. I sing
the mighty. It’s good to give. I waited meekly.
I would not live. Just as I am—
Let every creature.
Let us with joyful. Long as I live. My country
‘tis of thee. My God, how endless. My never-
ceasing song. Nearer my God to thee. Now let me
make. O, come loud anthems. O, I could find.
O, for a shout. O, for a thousand. O happy
day that. O happy they who. See what a living.
Sing Hallelujah. So fades the lovely. Soft
be the gently. Softly they rest. So let our lips.
Soon as I heard.
The billows swell. The cloud hath filled.
The day is past. There is a land, a. There is
a land of. There is an hour. There is a stream.
There is a world. The voice of the free. The winter
is over. This is the word.
Tho’ dark and stormy.
Through all the changing. Up to the fields.
We come with joyful. Welcome, delightful.
We sing the bright. When down our heads.
When I can read. When I can trust. When our
hearts are. When overwhelmed. Where shall the man.
Why is my heart. Ye boundless realms. Ye nations
of the.
Yes, my native land.
Ye sons of men, a. Ye sons of men, with.
Yes, there are joys. Yes, we trust the day.
Ye trembling captives.

Sarah Messer
America, the Hallelujah first appeared in Indiana Review, Summer, 2005.
Poem, copyright © 2005 by Sarah Messer
Appearing on From the Fishouse with permission
Audio file, copyright © 2005, From the Fishouse