R. P. Tristram Coffin
Solo 1:
All: Wheat from dawn to sunset,
And rainbows trailing rain.
Solo 1:
Cornsilk and
Song of scythes and bees.
With eyes full of the sun,
All: But
Tall one by lonely one.
Solo 1: The hewed oak, carried water,
Their hands were knuckle-boned,
They piled on loads of syntax
Till the small boys groaned.
They taught the girls such manners
As stiffened them for life,
But made many a fine speller,
Good mother and good wife.
They took small wiry children,
Wild as panther-cats,
And turned them into reasoning
Sunny democrats.
All: They caught a nation eager,
They caught a nation young,
They taught the nation fairness,
Thrift, and the golden tongue.
Solo 1: They started at the bottom
And built up strong and sweet,
They shaped our minds and morals
All: With switches on the seat.