- Wandering children of Kansas away,
- By mountain, by desert, or sea,
- Feasting or fasting, at prayer or at play,
- Whatever your fortunes may be,
- Open the doors of your hearts to the breeze,
- Prairie wind never are still,
- Hark to the surf in the cottonwood trees,
- The breakers that boom on the hill.
- Open your soul’s windows–let in the sun–
- The prairie sun gay with delight.
- Where’er your wandering pathways have run,
- Come home tonight.
- Come home where Kansas lies under the stars
- Twinkling back beauty and joy;
- Come and let homely love poultice your scars,
- Leave off your restless employ.
- Come home where summer winds billow the wheat,
- Where golden tides cover the sands;
- Come–let your heart’s longings hasten your feet
- And home love unfetter your hands.
- Come where the tawny sunflower eagerly bends
- A tawny frank face to the light,
- So do our hearts seek the joy of old friends–
- Come home tonight.
— William Allen White, “A Song for Kansas Day”