Sunshine 

by Vachel Lindsay 

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LibriVox 



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The sun gives not directly 

The coal, the diamond 

Sunshine 

by Vachel Lindsay 

Total running time: 23:56 

The gravel of the roadbed, 

The metal of the gun, 

Ten thousand anvils sound 
there 

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crown; 

The engine of the airship 

By forges flaming white, 

3 

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Not in a special basket 

Trace somehow from the 

And many books 1 read 

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Are these from Heaven let 

sun. 

there, 

5! 

-J 

down. 


And many books 1 write; 

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The sun gives not directly 

And so your soul, my lady— 

(Mere sunshine, nothing 

And freedom's bells are 

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The plough, man's iron 

more)— 

ringing, 

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friend; 

Prepares me the 

And bird-choirs chant and 

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o 

1 

Not by a path or stairway 

contraptions 

fly— 

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Do tools from Heaven 

1 work with or adore. 

The whole world works in 

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descend. 

Within me cornfields rustle, 

me to-day 

And all the shining sky, 

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Yet sunshine fashions all 

Niagaras roar their way, 


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things 

Vast thunderstorms and 

Because of one small lady 

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That cut or burn or fly; 

rainbows 

Whose smile is my chief 

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And corn that seems upon Are in my thought to-day. sun. 

the earth She gives not any gift to me 

Is made in the hot sky. Yet all gifts, giving one.... 

Amen. 

This recording is in the public domain and may be reproduced, distributed, or modified 
without permission. For more information or to volunteer, visit librivox.org. 

Cover picture by Laura Aziz (2016), who dedicated it to the public domain. Cover design by 
David Purdy. This design is in the public domain. 

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