“The Santa Clara Valley”
By A. J. Waterhouse

God touched the earth in kindness, and lo, it dimpled where
It felt His might finger, and a valley nestled there,
And He told the angel artist to paint a sky more blue,
Than ever dainty violet or airy bluebell knew,
And to stretch it o’er that valley, as a promise from its God
That peace and plenty there should spring, like flowers from its sod
And He set the mighty mountains to guard that happy vale
Where the autumns kiss the springtimes and the summers never fail.

Then all the birds came singing to where the valley smiled,
And all the suns came shining, by all its peace beguiled;
And from the hidden canyons the brooklets sparkled down
To cheer the future’s exiles from the city or the town;
And the gray earth loved its flowers as the flowers love the sun
And the glory of the daytime into even’s glory run;
And the live oak wore its banners green through all the year unfurled
And so was Santa Clara’s vale first given to the world.

And then man came from out the East, and lo, the valley smiled,
And she took him to her bosom, and she loved him as her child.
She blessed him with her orchards, and She cheered him with her vines;
She fed him with her bounty, and she gladdened him with wine.
He builded there an altar and a happy home, I ween;
And his temple unto learning on gray Hamilton was seen.
Ah, blest was he by nature past man’s allotment here,
In that rarest, fairest valley; in that home of peace and cheer.

Then Gilroy smiled to San José, and Saratoga’s spring
Called all the happy songsters just to hear the waters sing;
Adown Los Gatos’ fairy vale a silver brooklet ran.
And Santa Clara seemed a dream to bless the soul of man,
And Almaden lay smiling, as a babe its mother cheers,
And so peacefull were the moments of the onward-tripping years
That the heart of man was gladdened, and he said: “I love thee best”-
And so was Santa Clara’s vale by God and nature blessed.

From Sunshine, Fruit and Flowers – Santa Clara County California
Page 5