At Norris Dam, our Uncle Sam
Has wrought a mighty deed.
He built a dam, did Uncle Sam,
So "all who run may read."
He saw the "writing on the wall"--
Called the soothsayers in.
Soothsayers all, both great and small
Said, "It would be a sin--
"To let the things God wrought for man
Stand idle all the years.
But use God's knowledge (in a can),
Soothsaying engineers."
And so, this miracle today
You see with your own eyes,
Was planned ten million miles away--
In "mansions in the skies."
That pigeonhole is empty there;
Now we employ that plan
For use and pleasure, down here, where
'Twill be a boon to man.
So day by day in every way,
At least we're getting wise;
And now we play--as well we may--
On playgrounds from the skies.
So let us give a rousing cheer
For our dear Uncle Sam,
Whose mighty arm reached way up there
And brought down Norris Dam.
--George A. Barker