A New Nation – v3

As was remembered,

four score and seven years later

our nation, a new nation

was brought forward;

but not by war, willed

created by the words

written in that hall

the words of that

Philadelphia summer

Changing our world,

splintering an empire

held together by might,

for a dream of freedom

All are equal, all must be free

so is our pledge, our plea

the dream of America,

still unfulfilled, still hurting

our people divided, angry,

so many summers gone by

so far have we come

I hear freedom starting to ring

part of the dream given voice

by another pastor, fifty years ago

may it start in our hearts today

=====

edited January 19, 2015

A New Nation – v3

(editing version 1)

edited July 5, 2014

A New Nation – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-new-nation-v2.html

July 4, 2008

A New Nation

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post_8239.html

edited July 4, 2014

Words of Mettle – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/07/words-of-mettle-v2.html

July 4, 2008

Words of Mettle

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post_7314.html

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/july-4-2008-poems-at-wesley-united.html

Read before writing the series of poems on 7/4/2008:

-         Mayflower Compact,

http://mayflowerhistory.com/mayflower-compact/

-         Declaration of Independence,

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

-         Gettysburg Address,

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

-         Emancipation Proclamation,

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html

-         Preamble to Constitution,

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

-         Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, 8/28/1963

http://www.archives.gov/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf

written for July 4^th celebration

Wesley United Methodist Church

www.concordwumc.org

Concord, NH

In reading this, I noted that the nomination speech

of the Democratic Convention this summer

will be on the 45^th anniversary of Dr. King’s speech

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 35,270+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.