Lift Every Voice and Sing - by James Weldon Johnson

These words were written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson.  My aunt, Phoebe Caldwell Bell was a concert pianist, and soloist for the Philadelphia Concert Opera many years ago.  She then became a music teacher and wife to Mr. John Bell.  Aunt Phoebe knew the son of Mr. James Weldon Johnson, and she loved this poem/song, so in her memory I am writing the words to James Weldon Johnson's Lift Every Voice and Sing.  Aunt Phoebe, I know you are singing in heaven and I know that your beautiful soprano voice is serenading the heavens with opera and hymns.  Please rest in peace at His side.

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of liberty
let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies
Let it resound, loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
sing a song, full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun, of a new day begun, let us march on, till victory is won

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod
felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered
We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered
Out of the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
'Neath the white gleam where our bright star is cast

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears
Thou who has kept us thus far on the way,
Thou who has by thy might, led us into the light
keep us forever in thy path we pray

Lest our feet stray from the places dear Lord where we met thee
Lest our minds drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee
Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand, true to our God, True to our native Land!!
written by Mr. James Weldon Johnson