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by James Russell Lowell (1819 - 1891)

Where is the true man's fatherland?
Language: English 
Where is the true man's fatherland?
Is it where he by chance is born?
Doth not the yearning spirit scorn
In such scant borders to be spanned?
Oh yes! his fatherland must be
As the blue heaven wide and free!

Is it alone where freedom is,
Where God is God and man is man?
Doth he not claim a broader span
For the soul's love of home than this?
Oh yes! his fatherland must be
As the blue heaven wide and free!

Where'er a human heart doth wear
Joy's myrtle-wreath or sorrow's gyves,
Where'er a human spirit strives
After a life more true and fair,
There is the true man's birthplace grand,
His is a world-wide fatherland!

Where'er a single slave doth pine,
Where'er one man may help another,--
Thank God for such a birthright, brother,--
That spot of earth is thine and mine!
There is the true man's birthplace grand,
His is a world-wide fatherland!

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by James Russell Lowell (1819 - 1891), "The Fatherland", from Poems, first published 1844 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by C. G. Bellman , "The Fatherland" [voice, piano] [
     text not verified 
    ]
  • by Franz Petersilea (d. 1878), "Where is the True Man's Fatherland?", published 1845. [
     text not verified 
    ]
  • by F. Reichardt , "Thy Land" [
     text not verified 
    ]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2005-03-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 156

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