 |
| The Declaration of Independence - John Trumball, 1819 |
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” From the United States Declaration of Independence, 1776
Fifty-six men
With pens on parchment
Changed the world,
Declaring their intention
To pursue an ideal
Of equality and freedom,
Knowing that failure
Would leave them branded
As traitorous cowards
Hanging in the public square,
Knowing that the cannons of war
Would destroy the lives
They had sacrificed to build,
But inaction would cost so much more.
Those fifty-six men of vision
Understood the value of freedom
And were willing to pay the price.
Do we still possess that courage,
The willingness to stand
In the face of tyranny
In defense of the values
Earned by blood and cannon
All those years ago?
Sacred honor is a concept
Forgotten by politicians
Masquerading as leaders,
Relegated to dusty books and epic movies,
Yet in the heart of the patriots
Spread across these United States,
The burning desire for freedom survives,
Just waiting for someone to fan the flames.
~~~ This poem was written in response to a prompt from Poetry Jam asking us to write about value and values.
10 comments:
Mary, I don't know the answer. I think we all desire 'freedom,' but sometimes I think our definitions today are different. We need to think deep, really deep, about our values, I think......and perhaps we each (those who are reading your poem) need to be the ones to fan the flames!
i think freedom may be one of the things most do not value enough until they lose it.
wonderful response to the prompt, Mary!
♥
Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" did it so beautifully way back when; hopefully another of that ilk will come along to keep the flame burning.
Worthy values rise and fall, and rise again when most needed.
i hear you in this mary...i am afraid of what is to come for our nation and what it is becoming...and in that how we will need to react...hey i like a good political poem...smiles...
LET FREEDOM RING .......... :)
a political poem done well as "whatever party" can read into it and come out inspired. I just wish we would read closely the constitution and not allow our central government more control than what the founding fathers desired... (and to interpret it correctly!) This election shall be interesting - I think it is a MOST important one.
You know, we are all only as free as the powers that be allow us to be. Even we in the 'free' world. Take the occupy this and that protests, they seem to have managed to squelch those before they got too out of hand, didn't they. Only as free as they let you be, and if you rock the boat too much... watch out.
Well said Mary!
RYN: On God has no religion, thanks for sharing your thoughts, very much appreciated :)
A meaningful and relevant message ~
I hope our politicians remember how much blood and sacrifices have been spilled to have our freedom ~
I was an activist in my youth, and have been all my life, but less visual now. I donate, I vote, I stand up in words on the internet. I don't put my body out there. I feel too much demand in my own life. I could do better.
thanks for popping over today...really nice prompt at PJ...so thank you..smiles.
Post a Comment