Poets Forum

FOURTH OF JULY

We gathered on that day for our parade

Aligned in front of stores four deep on Main

Sidewalks. Kids held up signs that they had made

Of red and white and blue and some were plain,

But they were ways to show what freedom meant

To them. We talked until the flag came by

And down the block a movement with a hint

About this day revealed itself. My eye

Was drawn to flags held by a chairbound man

Who lost his legs in war. He rose, one knee

Wedged him up high enough while tears that ran

Down both his cheeks showed great humility.

But still, he smiled as though the world were good:

And through my tears, I smiled, I understood.

— Dennis Patton Alexander

EVIL LURKS AT FREEDOM’S DOOR

Remembering God’s way to set men free,

We celebrate our Day of Liberty.

Still there are some who have an evil mind

And they alone believe that they are wise;

But truly prudent men will never find If real manure or they attract more flies.

We celebrate our Day of Liberty Remembering God’s way to set men free. — Don Crowson Deceased

AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY

With cracker booms and sparklers lighting sky

We celebrate our Freedom in July. As British fired, America was born

And struggled to survive the wounds of war.

In worn-out shoes, their battle banners torn,

Our Fathers fought for land worth fighting for.

We celebrate our Freedom in July With cracker booms and sparklers lighting sky.

— Kitty Yeager Arkadelphia

CELEBRATE THE FOURTH

To celebrate the Fourth of each July We proudly hoist Old Glory way up high.

Our eyes are drenched with tears as we recall

The blood Forefathers shed for liberty.

We keep defenses up lest fate befall And we discover we’re no longer free. We proudly hoist Old Glory way up high

To celebrate the Fourth of each July.

— Genevieve Didier-DeWitt Baton Rouge, LA

TAPS AND TEARS

With each heartbeat the bugle call echoes

Like distant thunder in an autumn storm,

I wondered how to lift this heavy load From one who prayed to keep her son from harm.

No one in Baghdad cared about her grief

Except his buddies who had seen him die.

They know a soldier’s life can be too brief.

Boys cried men’s tears and told their friend goodbye.

A broken-hearted mother heard the notes

Of Taps and lifted up her tear-stained face

Remembering the “be home soon” he wrote,

She bowed her head to plead for heaven’s grace.

She hugged the folded flag a soldier gave

While Taps and tears fell on a hero’s grave.

— Faye Boyette Wise Deceased

JULY

Once more the calendar reveals July The kids delight that summer’s really nigh

Their school and homework seem a passing dream with days of swimming, playing ball in sight

As friends and neighbors make a rag tag team

They make the most of hours till falls the night

The kids delight that summer’s really nigh

Once more the calendar reveals July.

—Sara C. Jacobs Baton Rouge, LA

To submit poems for publication, please send poems of 16 or fewer lines to Dennis Patton, 2512 Springhill Circle, Alexander, AR 72002, or patton_dr@ hotmail.com.