{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-4-1-303","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-1-303","heading":"State poems","body":"(a) The poem entitled, \"Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee,\" by Admiral William Lawrence, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state, which poem reads as follows: \"Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee What Love and Pride I Feel for Thee. You Proud Ole State, the Volunteer, Your Proud Traditions I Hold Dear. I Revere Your Many Heroes Who Bravely Fought our Country's Foes. Renowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong, Who Served our Country Well and Long. I Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand; Rolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land; Earth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore; Forests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore; Powerful Rivers that Bring us Light; Deep Lakes with Fish and Fowl in Flight; Thriving Cities and Industries; Fine Schools and Universities; Strong Folks of Pioneer Descent, Simple, Honest, and Reverent. Beauty and Hospitality Are the Hallmarks of Tennessee. And O'er the World as I May Roam, No Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home. And Oh How Much I Long to See My Native Land, My Tennessee.\" (b) The poem entitled, \"My Tennessee,\" by Michael McDonald, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state, which poem reads as follows: Cowboy boots, pickup trucks, White-faced bulls, and lespedeza hay, Cottontails runnin', beagle dogs singin' Huntin' with Grandpa, on a gray, frosty day. Sunday mornin' preachin, hell-fire and brimstone, Country ham for dinner, banana puddin' and ice tea, Pitchin' them horse-shoes, watermelon cuttin', Friends and kinfolk underneath the old oak tree. Tennessee, you're a raging river, A Lookout Mountain, seeing as far as you can see, Bloody Shiloh, brother against brother, General Grant and Robert E. Lee, Sittin' on a feed sack, pickin' my guitar, Writin' them songs, in a country kinda way, Whittlin' on a cedar stick, spittin' tobacco juice, Spinnin' them yarns, about by-gone days. Andrew Jackson and ol' Davy Crockett Always were heroes to me. Buckskin britches, black-powder rifles, Dreamin' 'bout freedom and the days that used to be. Tennessee I'll never leave you, You're the heart and soul of me, Mighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains, You're all these things, and more to me. Matched-pair of sorrel mules, Tennessee walkers, Munchin' on a moon pie and an R.O.C.; Duck-head overalls, wish I had a Goo Goo; All rared back listenin' to the Grand Ole Opry. Tennessee I'll never leave you, You're the heart and soul of me, Mighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains, All these things, my Tennessee. (c) The poem entitled, \"My Beloved Tennessee\" by Marlene Tidwell, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state. The poem reads as follows: My thoughts wander on your path again Captivated by the beauty of rolling hills That rise above a road that bends, As dusk spreads mist across the fields. I heard the piping of the morning lay And gazed on scenes from yesteryears, When open come the gates of May, And in purple ruffles the Iris appears. Cherished memories thou doth hold, Sweet home in Tennessee, to you I hope To come before the winds grow cold. Nestled in vales, quaint barns of old Stood in wait for the gathering harvest Scattered across autumn fields of gold, And chapels adorned with steeples fair Rang bells against the morning cold Calling the pleasant and faithful there To come and nourish thirsting souls. Your faith has kept your pillars strong, My heritage from days of old, How blessed am I to call you home. Your vaulted domes, in blue mist crowned, Listen to babbling brooks shower chambers Beneath, rich treasures there are found. From afar they come to see your sights, And hear your song, from Memphis to Bristol, your cities shine bright. For in distant lands your light has shown, Oh Valiant Volunteer, you gave hope To those you had never known. Come to me in my dreams tonight Oh beloved home in Tennessee, When I wake with morning's light, May I again be near to thee. Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 118, s 1, eff. 4/13/2021. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch\nights, And hear your song, from Memphis to Bristol, your cities shine bright. For in distant lands your light has shown, Oh Valiant Volunteer, you gave hope To those you had never known. Come to me in my dreams tonight Oh beloved home in Tennessee, When I wake with morning's light, May I again be near to thee. Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 118, s 1, eff. 4/13/2021. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 215, s 1, eff. 4/23/2019. Acts 1973, ch. 111, § 1; 1977, ch. 329, § 1; T.C.A., § 4-116.\n(a) The poem entitled, \"Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee,\" by Admiral William Lawrence, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state, which poem reads as follows: \"Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee What Love and Pride I Feel for Thee. You Proud Ole State, the Volunteer, Your Proud Traditions I Hold Dear. I Revere Your Many Heroes Who Bravely Fought our Country's Foes. Renowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong, Who Served our Country Well and Long. I Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand; Rolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land; Earth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore; Forests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore; Powerful Rivers that Bring us Light; Deep Lakes with Fish and Fowl in Flight; Thriving Cities and Industries; Fine Schools and Universities; Strong Folks of Pioneer Descent, Simple, Honest, and Reverent. Beauty and Hospitality Are the Hallmarks of Tennessee. And O'er the World as I May Roam, No Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home. And Oh How Much I Long to See My Native Land, My Tennessee.\"\n\"Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee\nWhat Love and Pride I Feel for Thee.\nYou Proud Ole State, the Volunteer,\nYour Proud Traditions I Hold Dear.\nI Revere Your Many Heroes\nWho Bravely Fought our Country's Foes.\nRenowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong,\nWho Served our Country Well and Long.\nI Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand;\nRolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land;\nEarth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore;\nForests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore;\nPowerful Rivers that Bring us Light;\nDeep Lakes with Fish and Fowl in Flight;\nThriving Cities and Industries;\nFine Schools and Universities;\nStrong Folks of Pioneer Descent,\nSimple, Honest, and Reverent.\nBeauty and Hospitality\nAre the Hallmarks of Tennessee.\nAnd O'er the World as I May Roam,\nNo Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home.\nAnd Oh How Much I Long to See\nMy Native Land, My Tennessee.\"\n(b) The poem entitled, \"My Tennessee,\" by Michael McDonald, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state, which poem reads as follows: Cowboy boots, pickup trucks, White-faced bulls, and lespedeza hay, Cottontails runnin', beagle dogs singin' Huntin' with Grandpa, on a gray, frosty day. Sunday mornin' preachin, hell-fire and brimstone, Country ham for dinner, banana puddin' and ice tea, Pitchin' them horse-shoes, watermelon cuttin', Friends and kinfolk underneath the old oak tree. Tennessee, you're a raging river, A Lookout Mountain, seeing as far as you can see, Bloody Shiloh, brother against brother, General Grant and Robert E. Lee, Sittin' on a feed sack, pickin' my guitar, Writin' them songs, in a country kinda way, Whittlin' on a cedar stick, spittin' tobacco juice, Spinnin' them yarns, about by-gone days. Andrew Jackson and ol' Davy Crockett Always were heroes to me. Buckskin britches, black-powder rifles, Dreamin' 'bout freedom and the days that used to be. Tennessee I'll never leave you, You're the heart and soul of me, Mighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains, You're all these things, and more to me. Matched-pair of sorrel mules, Tennessee walkers, Munchin' on a moon pie and an R.O.C.; Duck-head overalls, wish I had a Goo Goo; All rared back listenin' to the Grand Ole Opry. Tennessee I'll never leave you, You're the heart and soul of me, Mighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains, All these things, my Tennessee.\nCowboy boots, pickup trucks,\nWhite-faced bulls, and lespedeza hay,\nCottontails runnin', beagle dogs singin'\nHuntin' with Grandpa, on a gray, frosty day\npie and an R.O.C.; Duck-head overalls, wish I had a Goo Goo; All rared back listenin' to the Grand Ole Opry. Tennessee I'll never leave you, You're the heart and soul of me, Mighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains, All these things, my Tennessee.\nCowboy boots, pickup trucks,\nWhite-faced bulls, and lespedeza hay,\nCottontails runnin', beagle dogs singin'\nHuntin' with Grandpa, on a gray, frosty day.\nSunday mornin' preachin, hell-fire and brimstone,\nCountry ham for dinner, banana puddin' and ice tea,\nPitchin' them horse-shoes, watermelon cuttin',\nFriends and kinfolk underneath the old oak tree.\nTennessee, you're a raging river,\nA Lookout Mountain, seeing as far as you can see,\nBloody Shiloh, brother against brother,\nGeneral Grant and Robert E. Lee,\nSittin' on a feed sack, pickin' my guitar,\nWritin' them songs, in a country kinda way,\nWhittlin' on a cedar stick, spittin' tobacco juice,\nSpinnin' them yarns, about by-gone days.\nAndrew Jackson and ol' Davy Crockett\nAlways were heroes to me.\nBuckskin britches, black-powder rifles,\nDreamin' 'bout freedom and the days that used to be.\nTennessee I'll never leave you,\nYou're the heart and soul of me,\nMighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains,\nYou're all these things, and more to me.\nMatched-pair of sorrel mules, Tennessee walkers,\nMunchin' on a moon pie and an R.O.C.;\nDuck-head overalls, wish I had a Goo Goo;\nAll rared back listenin' to the Grand Ole Opry.\nTennessee I'll never leave you,\nYou're the heart and soul of me,\nMighty Mississippi, Great Smoky Mountains,\nAll these things, my Tennessee.\n(c) The poem entitled, \"My Beloved Tennessee\" by Marlene Tidwell, is designated and adopted as an official state poem for this state. The poem reads as follows: My thoughts wander on your path again Captivated by the beauty of rolling hills That rise above a road that bends, As dusk spreads mist across the fields. I heard the piping of the morning lay And gazed on scenes from yesteryears, When open come the gates of May, And in purple ruffles the Iris appears. Cherished memories thou doth hold, Sweet home in Tennessee, to you I hope To come before the winds grow cold. Nestled in vales, quaint barns of old Stood in wait for the gathering harvest Scattered across autumn fields of gold, And chapels adorned with steeples fair Rang bells against the morning cold Calling the pleasant and faithful there To come and nourish thirsting souls. Your faith has kept your pillars strong, My heritage from days of old, How blessed am I to call you home. Your vaulted domes, in blue mist crowned, Listen to babbling brooks shower chambers Beneath, rich treasures there are found. From afar they come to see your sights, And hear your song, from Memphis to Bristol, your cities shine bright. For in distant lands your light has shown, Oh Valiant Volunteer, you gave hope To those you had never known. Come to me in my dreams tonight Oh beloved home in Tennessee, When I wake with morning's light, May I again be near to thee.\nMy thoughts wander on your path again\nCaptivated by the beauty of rolling hills\nThat rise above a road that bends,\nAs dusk spreads mist across the fields.\nI heard the piping of the morning lay\nAnd gazed on scenes from yesteryears,\nWhen open come the gates of May,\nAnd in purple ruffles the Iris appears.\nCherished memories thou doth hold,\nSweet home in Tennessee, to you I hope\nTo come before the winds grow cold.\nNestled in vales, quaint barns of old\nStood in wait for the gathering harvest\nScattered across autumn fields of gold,\nAnd chapels adorned with steeples fair\nRang bells against the morning cold\nCalling the pleasant and faithful there\nTo come and nourish thirsting souls.\nYour faith has kept your pillars strong,\nMy heritage from days of old,\nHow blessed am I to call you home.\nYour vaulted domes, in blue mist crowned,\nListen to babbling brooks shower chambers\nBeneath, rich treasures there are found\nmn fields of gold,\nAnd chapels adorned with steeples fair\nRang bells against the morning cold\nCalling the pleasant and faithful there\nTo come and nourish thirsting souls.\nYour faith has kept your pillars strong,\nMy heritage from days of old,\nHow blessed am I to call you home.\nYour vaulted domes, in blue mist crowned,\nListen to babbling brooks shower chambers\nBeneath, rich treasures there are found.\nFrom afar they come to see your sights,\nAnd hear your song, from Memphis to\nBristol, your cities shine bright.\nFor in distant lands your light has shown,\nOh Valiant Volunteer, you gave hope\nTo those you had never known.\nCome to me in my dreams tonight\nOh beloved home in Tennessee,\nWhen I wake with morning's light,\nMay I again be near to thee.","path":["TN Code","Title 4","Chapter 1"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_tn_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:26Z","sha256":"d2515fe8f4d37a23cf903a7561162b8560959ddc5abba002431a71dcdea7637c","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-4-1-302","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-4-1-304"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}