{"id":1979,"date":"2015-07-05T02:46:13","date_gmt":"2015-07-05T02:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.doingwhatmatters.com\/?p=1979"},"modified":"2022-06-29T18:33:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-29T18:33:18","slug":"a-poem-for-independence-day-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doingwhatmatters.com\/a-poem-for-independence-day-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"A Poem for Independence Day 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

\""If<\/a><\/p>\n

In honor of Independence Day 2015, here is a classic poem about the nickname of the American flag. Use it as copywork or just enjoy it! I’ve also included a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful<\/em> and few pithy quotes. I wish you a happy, knowledgeable, and virtuous Fourth of July.<\/p>\n

The Name of Old Glory<\/h3>\n

by James Whitcomb Riley<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Old Glory! say, who,
\nBy the ships and the crew,
\nAnd the long, blended ranks of the gray and the blue,
\nWho gave you, Old Glory, the name that you bear
\nWith such pride everywhere
\nAs you cast yourself free to the rapturous air
\nAnd leap out full-length, as we’re wanting you to?
\nWho gave you that name, with the ring of the same,
\nAnd the honor and fame so becoming to you?
\nYour stripes stroked in ripples of white and of red,
\nWith your stars at their glittering best overhead
\nBy day or by night
\nTheir delightfulest light
\nLaughing down from their little square heaven of blue!
\nWho gave you the name of Old Glory? – say, who
\nWho gave you the name of Old Glory?
\nThe old banner lifted, and faltering then
\nIn vague lisps and whispers fell silent again.<\/p>\n

II<\/p>\n

Old Glory,–speak out!–we are asking about
\nHow you happened to “favor” a name, so to say,
\nThat sounds so familiar and careless and gay
\nAs we cheer it and shout in our wild breezy way
\nWe-the crowd, every man of us, calling you that
\nWe-Tom, Dick, and Harry-each swinging his hat
\nAnd hurrahing “Old Glory!” like you were our kin,
\nWhen-Lord!-we all know we’re as common as sin!
\nAnd yet it just seems like you humor us all
\nAnd waft us your thanks, as we hail you and fall
\nInto line, with you over us, waving us on
\nWhere our glorified, sanctified betters have gone,
\nAnd this is the reason we’re wanting to know
\n(And we’re wanting it so!
\nWhere our own fathers went we are willing to go.)
\nWho gave you the name of Old Glory O-ho!
\nWho gave you the name of Old Glory?
\nThe old flag unfurled with a billowy thrill
\nFor an instant, then wistfully sighed and was still.<\/p>\n

III<\/p>\n

Old Glory: the story we’re wanting to hear
\nIs what the plain facts of your christening were,
\nFor your name–just to hear it.
\nRepeat it, and cheer it, ‘s a tang to the spirit
\nAs salty as a tear;
\nAnd seeing you fly, and the boys marching by,
\nThere’s a shout in the throat and a blur in the eye
\nAnd an aching to live for you always-or die,
\nIf, dying, we still keep you waving on high.
\nAnd so, by our love
\nFor you, floating above,
\nAnd the sears of all wars and the sorrows thereof,
\nWho gave you the name of Old Glory, and why
\nAre we thrilled at the name of Old Glory?
\nThen the old banner leaped, like a sail in the blast,
\nAnd fluttered an audible answer at last.<\/p>\n

IV<\/p>\n

And it spake, with a shake of the voice, and it said:
\nBy the driven snow-white and the living blood-red
\nOf my bars, and their heaven of stars overhead
\nBy the symbol conjoined of them all, skyward cast,
\nAs I float from the steeple, or flap at the mast,
\nOr droop o’er the sod where the long grasses nod,
\nMy name is as old as the glory of God.
\n…So I came by the name of Old Glory.<\/p>\n

America the Beautiful<\/h3>\n

I’ve seen quite a bit of our beautiful country this summer, so this song seemed especially appropriate for Independence Day 2015.<\/p>\n