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True, alabaster is marble-white. But the significance of "alabaster" and "tears" are clear in a biblical perspective, since this song is a Christian hymn to a certain extent. The references are in the synoptic gospels, especially in Luke 7:37-38, where "alabaster" is used in v. 37 and "tears" in v. 38. Alabaster, I think, alludes to the precious sacrifice that a woman, i.e., America, can afford and offer, while the "tears" that bring about these sacrifices, i.e., alabaster cities, are not to (or cannot) dim the gleaming effect of them.

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Q: In the song America the Beautiful what does thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears mean?
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America the Beautiful lyrics?

= America the Beautiful = : O beautiful, for spacious skies, : For amber waves of grain, : For purple mountain majesties : Above the fruited plain! : America! America! God shed His grace on thee, : And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea. : O beautiful, for pilgrim feet : Whose stern, impassioned stress : A thoroughfare for freedom beat : Across the wilderness! : America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw; : Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law! : O beautiful, for heroes proved : In liberating strife, : Who more than self their country loved : And mercy more than life! : America! America! May God thy gold refine, : Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine! : O beautiful, for patriot dream : That sees beyond the years, : Thine alabaster cities gleam : Undimmed by human tears! : America! America! God shed His grace on thee, : And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!


What has the author Lawrence R Velvel written?

Lawrence R. Velvel has written: 'Blogs From the Liberal Standpoint' 'Trail of Tears : Thine Alabaster Cities Gleam: A Story of the Last Half of the Twentieth Century' 'Misfits in America: Thine Alabaster Cities Gleam'


What does Thine alabaster cities gleam?

It is from the fourth verse of "America, the Beautiful"Music by Samuel Ward, 1882Words by Katharine Lee Bates, 1895O beautiful for patriot dreamThat sees beyond the yearsThine alabaster cities gleamUndimmed by human tears!America! America!God shed his grace on theeAnd crown thy goodWith brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea!It was first published as a poem in 1895 in "The Congregationalist". The melody was added later. The Ward version of the melody - the one we know today - was already popular around 1910. There were other melodies written for it. Bates amended the lyrics after publication in both 1904 and 1913.It was on an 1893 train trip from Massachusetts to teach a summer session at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that Bates visited the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the "White City", with its promise of the future contained within its alabaster buildings. This inspired the line, "Thine alabaster cities gleam ...".


What are the lyrics to o' beautiful?

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for halcyon skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the enameled plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till souls wax fair as earth and air And music-hearted sea! O beautiful for pilgrims feet, Whose stem impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought By pilgrim foot and knee! O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife When once and twice, for man's avail Men lavished precious life! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till nobler men keep once again Thy whiter jubilee!


What are the lyrics to america the beautiful?

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern impassion'd stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness, And ev'ry gain divine! O Beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam, Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!


What city in America has the most beautiful women?

One of the cities in America with the most beautiful women is Portland, Oregon.


Is America the beautiful poem?

Well, other people may have other opinions, but I think that almost everything makes America beautiful. If there wasn't any pollution or anything, that would make America better, but I still think that America is beautiful. One of motto's is "Everything and everyone is beautiful in their own way." So I hope this answers your question.Alternate AnswerWhat makes America beautiful is the diverse amounts of people of different religious backgrounds and origins. What makes America beautiful is the vast amounts of parks and scenery's all around the country. What makes America beautiful is the freedom and openness of the law and the people. What makes America beautiful is the opportunity and the education. What makes America beautiful is not only the nature, but the innovation. We make America beautiful and you can too.


What does Thine alabaster cities gleam mean?

Alabster is a rock often used in building fascdes because it is so even and white. A city of gleaming alabaster means a white (pure) city So a translation would be :"Your white cities shine"


Where are the spacious skies Katherine Lee bates refers to in the song America the beautiful?

Katharine Lee Bates wrote "O beautiful for Spacious Skies" after climbing Pikes Peak and gazing across the plains to the east. The "alabaster cities" of stanza three refers to the "White City" of the Columbian World Exposition at Chicago which she visited on the way to Colorado. (according to "Hymn Notes for Church Bulletins" by Austin C. Lovelace)


What is the last line in the song''america the beautiful''?

Below, you'll find your answer in bold. Here are the lyrics for America the Beautiful, provided by:O beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea!O beautiful for pilgrim feetWhose stern impassion'd stressA thoroughfare for freedom beatAcross the wilderness.America! America!God mend thine ev'ry flaw,Confirm thy soul in self-control,Thy liberty in law.O beautiful for heroes prov'dIn liberating strife,Who more than self their country loved,And mercy more than life.America! America!May God thy gold refineTill all success be nobleness,And ev'ry gain divine.O beautiful for patriot dreamThat sees beyond the yearsThine alabaster cities gleamUndimmed by human tears.America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea.Did you know that some have petitioned to have America the Beautiful replace The Star-Spangled Banner?


Who is the one who said 'may God thy gold refine'?

May God thy Gold Refine is not in the Bible, it's from America the Beautiful. however there is a reference in the westing game of some one thinking it was from the bible (the character Flora Baumbach)


Is Arabia a developing country?

No, its a developed country.Because, there are beautiful cities such as Madina and Makka are the most beautiful cities in the world.