Patriot Song

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patriot Song
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Job Conger
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . written 3:55 pm, Wednesday, July 18, 2006

. . . . . . Here's to the good of all citizens,
. . . . . . to laws justly made and enforced,
. . . . . . to everyone's not-faith and faith,
. . . . . . and neither state-endorsed.

. . . . . . A toast to our land's equal rights,
. . . . . . to the promise of freedom from hate,
. . . . . . to each person's inalienable freedom from love,
. . . . . . to the vigor of sincere debate.

. . . . . . Here's to each day, working hard,
. . . . . . satisfied and content at day's end,
. . . . . . to fullfilment of good deeds rewarded,
. . . . . . and the unwavering trust of a friend.

. . . . . . Here's to fruits harvested gladly
. . . . . . and the sweat of those sharing the toil.
. . . . . . to the cosmic perfume of the fragrance of peace
. . . . . . in the whiff of the rain-sweetened soil.

. . . . . . Here's to our forefather patriots' pen,
. . . . . . to the farmers' sharp sod-busting plow,
. . . . . . to the hope their grand eloquent vision,
. . . . . . will continue to nourish us now.

. . . . . . To the dream that our babies a borning
. . . . . . will learn living right, shunning wrong,
. . . . . . out of many, one nation in allegiance to truth
. . . . . . may we harmonize in freedom's song.

- - - - - I had intended to share this poem during Poets & Writers Linterary Forum's open mic at IMO's Pizza July 19, but decided not to drive out when a near-calamitous thunderstorm rolled through town about 5:30. So I'll recite it next time. And if you're not attending a witch burning or ice cream social (yes, we are a bi-polar nation) please join the fun August 2, 7p at 751 Durkin Drive, on Springfield's coolie cosmo -- better make that cooly cosmo -- west side.