"I Love Thee Thou Bright Sunny South,
MEA PATRIA" [1854]
An Ode to the South
Written by
Bowen
Composed, Arranged & respectfully Dedicated
to his friend
The Rev. Henry J. Brown,
by
Arnaud Pre[']ot.

[Lithographer] Collingham.
Published by MILLER & BEACHAM, Baltimore.
  Successors to F. D. Benteen.
[Library of Congress
MUSIC DIV
Class; M 1642
  .P
Acc. no. 134265]
[Plate no.] 2560
[Source: civilwardigital.com]

1. Hail, home of the southron! the pride of the brave;
The land of our Marion and Washington’s grave;
Where burst into glory to fade never more,
The Cowpens, King’s mountains and Yorktown of yore.
How fadeless thy laurels, sweet land of my youth,
I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south,
  How fadeless thy laurels, sweet land of my youth,
  I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south,

2. Here dwell the kindhearted, the bosom so warm,
The soft hand of friendship— the ne’er failing arm,
And finds the faint stranger, where’er he may roam,
A welcome, the doresign to each southern home.
How cordial the greeting, sweet land of my youth,
I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south.
  How cordial the greeting, sweet land of my youth,
  I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south.

3. Her biirds sing the sweetest, her flow’rs never die,
Her fields are the greenest, and brightest her sky;
Her maids are the fairest, and first in their prime,
And their love is as warm as their own native clime.
How peerless thy daughters, sweet land of my youth,
I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south,
  How peerless thy daughters, sweet land of my youth,
  I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south.

4. Nor least are remember’d of joys of my song,
The blithe sable faces who nurs’d me when young.
Hail, home of the southron, with wreaths on thy brow,
Rest calm in thy glory and smile on the foe;
How proud thy escutechon, sweet land of my youth,
I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south.
  How proud thy escutechon, sweet land of my youth,
  I love thee, I love thee, thou bright sunny south.