“From the Signers”

By Jan Myers

‘Twas Common Sense and Lexington’s lads;

They led us to that moment.

We didn’t regret upsetting the tea

Or calling King George a tyrant!

Dick Lee it was who finally said:

“Of right we ought to be free!”

Then handed the task to lanky Tom,

Who would write it for all to see.

With his reddish hair and his freckled face

Jefferson claimed we all are equal.

In a boarding house on Market Street

He measured each word and its sequel.

Hid friends cried, “Liberty!” They clamored for life

They were willing to work to be happy.

They wanted to vote on the taxes they bore.

To govern themselves they were ready.

Tom acknowledged that power

Who gave them those rights

Plus the courage

To risk all they had.

Then he handed it over to Ben and to John.

They would wrestle each verb and each comma

Till at last it was ready to read out loud

To those men from New Hampshire to Georgia.

Yes, John Adams was there with his cousin Sam,

(That family could roll out a patriot!)

There with farmers and lawyers and merchants

All told

In knee breeches and buckles and queues.

In “pensive and awful silence they filed,”

Ben Rush would recall the scene.

We came forward somberly, one by one,

To affix each now famous name.

If struggle failed, it would mean our lives.

By a noose we all would swing.

Undaunted still, we pledged ourselves,

And then the bells did ring!

Nine lives were given, 18 fortunes lost,

Five captured and tortured and maimed.

Yet all 13 colonies kept their word.

General Washington led us to fame.

So never forget this remarkable tale

Of the men who yearned to be free,

For tyrants and patriots still exist,

And the fight is now left to thee. 

“They Didn’t Know”

By Dotty Evanson

They didn’t know what the future held…

But believed in self-evident truths.

Life, liberty and happiness

Were universal human pursuits.

They didn’t know what the future held…

When they declared to all who would listen,

The Thirteen Colonies would move forward alone,

Independent of British dominion.

They had a leader in Washington 

He was stoic, honest and true,

He gave his life to the Patriots’ Cause

The American Red, White and Blue.

They didn’t know but they went all in

Pledging Life, Fortune, and Honor. 

They gave us the start Eternity knew

Would give the world much to ponder.

Two hundred fifty years gone by

Was the experiment a roaring success?

Were the Founding Father really right?

…America responds with a definite YES!