O beautiful The amber the clamor the waves of grain The need for animal feed And liquor yes the need for heaven I heard a voice in the midst of beasts say A measure of wheat for a penny O spacious Voice that loafs and voids a day A voice numismerized Is it love my one Nation leaning her cheek upon the grain O love The penny cried which wheat which voice Which night the penny moon Shall subsidize the need for heaven I heard a voice need yes a prop abundance The measured fat of the wheat the penny-wise Oh say Say the penny candy prayer The dawn a gleaming pile Of trampled swords and friends The coined and counted nice the penny life
From The Promised Folly by Judith Hall. Copyright © 2003 by Judith Hall. Reprinted by permission of TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press. All rights reserved.