Poem 'Dear California' written by Henry Van Dyke, [s.d.]

Photograph of poem "Dear California" written by Henry Van Dyke, April 1927. At center of the image, the poem "Dear California" can be seen extending from the top of the image to the bottom. A large mountain range can be seen illustrated behind the poem, and a large tree is also visible to the right. To the far left, a large vine filled with ripe fruit is visible. Below the vine, a woman with her hair in a bun wearing a thin dress is visible holding a bouquet of flowers in her right hand and a basket around her left arm. The woman can be seen scattering a handful of flowers with her left hand into the center of the image. At the bottom of the image at right, a mission building can be seen near a large grove. Large trees filled with fruit can also be seen bordering the grove, and a palm tree is also visible to the left.; Poem reads: "How bridal thy beauty, O dear California;/ How lovely and fragrant, how rich and how rare!/ A virgin arrayed for the day of her wedding,/ Thy face is aglow and thy garments are fair!/ With snow on thy mountains,/ With gold in thy fountains,/ Green fields at thy feet, orange bloom in thy hair;/ Thou greetest the sun as thy lover and bridegroom,/ No land that he looks on with thee can compare./ Thy pines of the north are majestic in measure,/ Thy palms of the south are a joy to the sight,/ Thy wheat fields and orchards are fertile in treasure,/ Thy stars are like gems on the forehead of night./ Thy children adore thee;/ Thy God watches o'er thee,/ To bless thee and keep thee and guide thee aright./ Be great in thy labor and glad in thy pleasure,/ O loved California, our pride and delight!/ Riverside April 2, 1927".