Friday, July 1, 2011

THE PLEDGE

THE PLEDGE

I pledge allegiance to the nation that was,
To my forefather's plan for a democratic ride.
To "We the People", to "Fourscore and Seven"
To the liberty bell's underground.

And to the violent republic for which we stood,
(The one that took innocent lives.)
To Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Sudan
(We are told it's for freedom they die.)

One nation under God has changed a bit,
The umbrella's tilted south,
Instead of interring the blacks and the reds,
We're attacking the bronze and the brown.

Indivisible with liberty we stand our ground,
Inequality and separatism abide.
Our blue collar heroes die wrongful deaths,
While our white collar leaders survive.

And justice for all is a thing of the past,
No more room for the tired and the poor.
Lady Liberty's light shines dimmer now,
Humbled masses seek alternate shores

In spite of the path we aimlessly tread,
We are still one man one vote.
It still reads, "We the people",
It still says "In God We Trust".

So I pledge allegiance to liberty and justice
And "to the republic for which it stands."(¹)
To "one nation under God indivisible." (¹)
Every child, every woman, every man.

I pledge to stand up for the red, white and blue
To prove that our banner yet waves.
To endlessly fight for freedom and peace
In this land we call free, we call brave.


(¹)"Pledge of Allegiance"

From the book: "ONE DAY" by Shirley Howard Hall