University of Illinois Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 1: The Midwest. Available Now!

*Illinois*

Marching through the Land of Lincoln—Here come the Fighting Illini!
Leading the land through learning and labor,
Reengineering Illinois with allegiance and reliance,
And a defiance t’ward defeat without fight.
Marching in a flank of Orange—Here come your Fighting Illini!
Trampling to victory with the giants of all majors,
Make Way! For the Orange & Blue Alliance!
Marching in union through Green Street at night.
Tomorrow we’ll march to Union in Fleet,
Next, roll through The Quad and Bevier Café,
Then run up the steps of Krannert just for show,
At last, our vast library to give the mind its ferry.
By night this becomes The Land of the Greek,
For times we’ll remember long past our decay,
Lincoln, Nevada, Ohio…to memories: Here we go…
The flag of these colors and to our pledge we’ll carry.

Marching in a flank of Blue—Here come the Fighting Illini!
Industrial leaders of the powers that will us,
Like Sears—we tower, and when you question our name…
we scoff,
“Whatchu talkin’ ’bout? Willis?”
Oskee-Wow-Wow! What a view!
Atop our opponents who look up and see blue!
Like the Tri Delta they tried to rush,
Then they felt the
Orange Crush.

♫They had their spine, now they have their
Orange Crush♫

Just as Steven and Jawed, this is the place to “Broadcast Yourself,”
This great land of nourishment and formation is a
Broad Cast of Myself.
Spreading these roots to Sons and Daughters,
Who someday will share our song:
Oskee-Wow-Wow! Here come the Illini!
And Here,

I

Belong.

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