demanding the vote – v3

They were demanding the vote

to have a formal say in our nation;

The right to vote, to be heard,

for the women as well

They were demanding the vote

as their legal birthright;

They were fighting the injustice

of “one man one vote”

======

edited November 26, 2015

demanding the vote – v3

(editing version 2)

edited November 2, 2015

demanding the vote – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/demanding-vote-v2.html

October 16, 2015

demanding the vote

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/demanding-vote.html

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Susan B. Anthony

and other suffragettes

Blog Action Day 2015 – “Raise Your Voice”

October 16, 2015

http://blogactionday.org/

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog%20Action%20Day

https://www.facebook.com/blogactionday

https://twitter.com/blogactionday12

https://plus.google.com/102886248124157027141

http://www.pinterest.com/blogactionday/

https://twitter.com/blogactionday (2010)

All of my poems and photographs 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 (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,220+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

demanding the vote – v2

They were demanding the vote

to have a say in our nation;

The right to vote, to be heard,

for the women as well

They were demanding the vote

as their birthright;

They were fighting the injustice

of one man one vote

======

edited November 2, 2015

demanding the vote – v2

October 16, 2015

demanding the vote

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/demanding-vote.html

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Susan B. Anthony

and other suffragettes

Blog Action Day 2015 – “Raise Your Voice”

October 16, 2015

http://blogactionday.org/

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog%20Action%20Day

https://www.facebook.com/blogactionday

https://twitter.com/blogactionday12

https://plus.google.com/102886248124157027141

http://www.pinterest.com/blogactionday/

https://twitter.com/blogactionday (2010)

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 (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 39,940+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

demanding the vote

demanding the vote

to have a say in the nation

the right to vote

for the women as well

demanding the vote

as their birthright

fighting the injustice

of one man one vote

======

October 16, 2015

demanding the vote

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Susan B. Anthony

and other suffragettes

Blog Action Day 2015 – “Raise Your Voice”

October 16, 2015

http://blogactionday.org/

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog%20Action%20Day

https://www.facebook.com/blogactionday

https://twitter.com/blogactionday12

https://plus.google.com/102886248124157027141

http://www.pinterest.com/blogactionday/

https://twitter.com/blogactionday (2010)

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 39,650+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Before the Guard – v3

Standing watch, proudly,

A large flag, the stars and stripes

hanging heavy, sad, the sun

through the thin, worn fabric

Hanging at half-staff

before the Guard, on the strip

reminding us of the loss on this date

so recently still, a part of our collective memory

our shared consciousness

A day, a moment, like that day in Dallas

always to be hallowed, remembered

by our people, this nation

an echo, a ribbon in our memory,

connecting us as a people

Bound by the fire, the resolve,

the winds of that moment

when terror found our homeland

when we stood together as one

A weathered flag in the late afternoon

the golden light of autumn, of the winter coming,

a fitting sentry before the National Guard;

so many out there today, still,

Defending us in those dark places

in part because of this date

seven years at war, invisible enemy

(six more years now);

how could it be so long ago

But our flag flies still, proudly,

something to remember on this election day,

to remember, the resolve of a nation too;

that terror would be avenged

our way of life would prevail

That our dream together

will never die from the earth

that we stand, we remain,

one people, united and free.

====

edited November 4, 2014

Before the Guard – v3

(editing version 2)

edited June 14, 2014

Before the Guard – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/before-guard-v2.html

Flag Day

September 11, 2008

Before the Guard

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/09/before-guard.html

Army Guard, Loudon Road,

Concord, NH

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. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 33,280+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Prayer for Governing

Dear Lord

I pray for our country, as we awake in the new light, the new day, after the close election. I join Governor Romney and President Obama in the call to common sacrifice, to a rejecting of ideology, and to the calling of our nation together. As I prayed yesterday, I pray again today, We are not red or blue; We are a purple country, drenched in so many blessings, a royal priesthood if we would just accept the love of God and turn from the self-centeredness of the world.

I pray for our country, that we will find kind words and expressions of common purpose now that the elections are over. We are strongest when we come together. And we face challenges as a nation. Together these can become opportunities for growth and positive change locally, nationally, and around this troubled world.

Please guide the hearts of our nation and our leaders. May we see the results of the election as a mandate to responsibility, as a calling to action, to fix the deficit and the debt; but also to care for one another, to reach across the divides of party, of class, of race, of gender, of all of the compartmentalization we find ourselves in.

May we come together as one nation for the common purpose of governing and walk as a people, the melting pot that is America, the quilt, the salad, yes; but one nation under God.

Amen

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 23,410+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Prayer for Election Day 2012

Dear Lord

I pray for our country this election day, that God would help us discern the right candidates to lead our nation and our states.

We are not red or blue; We are a purple country, drenched in so many blessings, a royal priesthood if we would just accept the love of God and turn from the self-centeredness of the world.

I pray for our country, that we would find a kind word and an expression of common purpose once the elections are over. We are strongest when we come together. And we face challenges as a nation. Together they can become opportunities for growth and positive change locally, nationally, and around the world.

Please vote. Too many of our heroes have fought, been injured, and died for our right to vote. We must never forget, never be complacent, the sacrifice they have made that we might be free. Please vote, it is the very least we can do for the sacrifice they all have made. Freedom isn't free.

Amen

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 21,690+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A prayer for election day

Dear Lord

I pray for our country this election day, that God would help us discern the right candidates to lead our nation and our states.

We are a purple country, drenched in so many blessings, a royal priesthood if we would just accept the love of God and turn from the self-centeredness of the world.

I pray for our country, that we would find a kind word and an expression of common purpose once the elections are over. We are strongest when we come together.

Please vote. Too many of our heroes have fought, been injured, and died for our right to vote. Please vote, it is the very least we can do for the sacrifice they all have made. Freedom isn't free.

Amen

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. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 27,390+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.