Thursday, July 5, 2012

Our Star-Spangled Banner

Our Star-Spangled Banner
© Surazeus
2012 07 04

Oh, say did you hear that slick lawyer Key,
who wrote a great song about fighting for freedom,
then argued white men could own people as slaves,
over the years though we fought for freedom and justice?
So stand up strong and fight against slavery of people,
and give proof to the world that our liberty still lives.
Oh, say does our star-spangled banner yet wave
over the land of the free and the home of the brave?

When two towers were struck by terrorists in planes
we united to fight for our freedom and justice,
but our cowboy president lied about weapons of death
then we fought a bank war to steal the oil wells of Eden.
Now we rise in protest against bankers gambling stock
so they send the police to stomp our faces in cement.
Oh, say does our star-spangled banner yet wave
over the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Many people have arrived from every nation on Earth,
all religions and races share this bountiful land.
But who dares to destroy human rights we uphold
trampling down sacred laws to exploit men for labor?
Come and march by our side to occupy our own land
and defend liberty for every human alive.
Oh, say does our star-spangled banner yet wave
over the land of the free and the home of the brave?

This is my update to the national anthem. In 1861, my distant cousin, Oliver Wendell Holmes, wrote the following verse as his update to the national anthem just before the Civil War.

When our land is illumined with liberty's smile,
If a foe from within strikes a blow at her glory,
Down, down with the traitor that tries to defile
The flag of the stars, and the page of her story!
By the millions unchained, who their birthright have gained
We will keep her bright blazon forever unstained;
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,
While the land of the free is the home of the brave.

Like me, Oliver Wendell Holmes, through his mother, was descended from Massachusetts Governor Simon Bradstreet and his wife, Anne Bradstreet, the first published European poet in America, and daughter of Thomas Dudley. I figured I should carry on a family tradition of updating the national anthem to reflect the times.

No comments:

Post a Comment