The Nation Builders
Oh,
look upon this great, free, land.
Say
that we did not give our lives in vain ....
Can
you not hold your head high for our triumph?
You
should be proud of the deeds that we accomplished.
See
that we did not give our lives to watch that freedom
squandered,
By
lesser men than we ....
The
echo of our passing still reverberates through the ages.
Dawn's
first light will mirror our success.
Early
came the call as Paul Revere rode.
Light
across the common, revealed our first volley.
What
did we ask, but for only our freedom.
So
we gave our souls willingly,
Proudly
we stood in ravaged rank and file.
We
came to the call ....
Hailed
from the four corners of this New World,
At
the beckoning cry of nobler men ....
The
Minutemen, we took our stand,
Twilight's
fall will not see our passing,
Last
words will avow our valor;
Gleaming
like the stars across blue field.
Whose
lives must count the cost,
Broad
across the years of oppression;
Stripes
lay across the back of this humble people,
And
ready to stake our claim to our God given right.
Bright
we looked upon our future as
Stars,
glorious across the Heavens.
Through
the fields of Saratoga, to
The
snows of Valley Forge,
Perilous
was our quest for freedom;
Fight
or Die, Liberty or Death!
O'er
the walls our echo will ring,
The
cry of Liberty in our lungs,
Ramparts
to be taken ... Or shorn with our dead,
We
laid our lives willingly on the throne of Revolution,
Watched
by a world without care.
Were
you not proud of our deeds?
So
willing were we to sacrifice ourselves;
Gallantly,
as only the oppressed can be,
Streaming
from our homes, our farms,
And
our servitude ....
The
fear of failure, no longer an option,
Rockets
across the horizon would not sway our longing.
Red-coats
in legionous rank held our gaze, the
Glare
of crimson Sun on cold steel, chilled our blood.
The
English could not sway our courage, as
Bombs
crashed against McHenry,
Bursting
across the ramparts.
In
our sacrifice you may hold your head high ....
Air
in your lungs has the taste of Liberty ....
Gave
in sacrifice without thought on blood soaked field
Proof
we held dear, in our own Declaration.
Through
canister and cannonade we weathered the storm,
The
banshees howl of chain-shot through the corn.
Night
brings salvation to our soul ....
That
gentle lull of calm within the storm.
Our
bodies raked with pain in scarecrow's garb,
Flag
ne'r faltered in gentle, silent breeze.
Was
this the field that brought us to our knees? No!
Still
we stand on freedom's gallant eve ....
There,
some still remain in silent grave.
Oh
look upon these gardens of cold stone,
Say
you still believe in freedom's call,
Does
our sacrifice mean so little,
That
you can drag this flag upon the earth?
Star-spangled
is that crimson, white and blue
Banner,
slashed by shot and shell and brave men's blood.
Yet
this banner still stands, caressed by gentle
Wave.
O'er
September's silent tears,
The
call to freedom has moved on to younger child.
Land
purged by war will yield a new generation
Of
Minutemen ready to answer the call.
The
drums of oppression will beat loudly.
Free
men ... Our sons and daughters will answer the call;
And
give their lives, as their fathers' fathers once did,
The
urge ... To Free the Oppressed ....
Home
will wait for their return, and
Of
sacrifice in blood ....
The
mothers once again will mourn, the
Brave,
and the fallen, in the name of Liberty.
by Lee Gudgin
... who is a former British soldier now living in the United
States; currently working with graphite arts and freelance
writing.
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