"Mountain Land Afar!" (1870)
Ballad
Words by George Cooper, 1840-1927
Music by John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896

New York, NY: William Hall & Son, 543 Broadway
New York, NY: J. L. Peters
New Haven, CT: Skinner & Sperry
Philadelphia, PA: G. Andre & Co.
Providence, RI: Cory Brothers
Cincinnati, OH: J. Church & Co.
Plate No. 6509
[Source: @NYPL]

1. I live in dreams thy beauties o’er,— 
My loved are by my side! 
My heart is thine for evermore; 
I’ve trod thy pains with pride! 
No spot of earth is half so dear! 
To me thou art a star! 
No other sky is half so clear 
Sweet mountain land afar!

2. I roam again thy haunts of bloom, 
How sweet and rare the sight! 
Oh, eyes that bear no shade of gloom 
Are filled with laughing light! 
Our simple joys of long ago, 
How dear to me they are! 
Each hope to thee will ever flow 
Dear mountain land afar!

3. The flow’rs that bloom from year to year, 
Are not so fair to see; 
And summer’s but a desert drear, 
Away, away from thee! 
Oh, still the hope is mine today, 
A hope no time can mar, 
That back to thee my feet will stray— 
Bright mountain land afar!