My heart doth beat faster, when I view o'er the world

The Star-Spangled Banner in glory unfurled.

'Tis fitting and proper that it should so be

Since our land was the progenitor of the free.

Down through the years, the decades, the ages,

Our nation did prosper, the land which the sages

Envisioned and pined for with prophetic sight

Whilst life was extinguished. Tyrannical might

Had commanded as such, for if one should rise

On wings of new knowledge and climb to the skies

Of pure wisdom, and behold the majesty there

That awaits him in freedom, then he just might dare

His stifling shackles and chain-links to tear

From their embedded anchors, and oping the gate

Which has barred him from forum, lyceum, debate;

Should forsake said destruction, and vow to create!

Generations of men held this dear to their soul:

"If our land should survive, we ourselves will console

All our kith and our kin if we should depart

This earth for the land we love with all our heart.

We prefer not to die or be slaughtered in battle,

We'd rather sell bonds or raise horses and cattle;

But if worst comes to worst, and the foe we must face

Just know that we served with all honor and grace

For our country's a lady that's worth dying for.

She's pure and she's good. We love and adore

The strong features that welcomed us when we were born

In a small forest cabin, or when all forlorn,

Poor, and destitute, we arrived 'cross the sea

And were met by the torch of Lady Liberty."

These words were echoed by millions of men

As they went off to battle, time and time again.

Whether volunteers or whether the drafted,

They came home in boxes, or had to have grafted

The pieces of others to make them complete;

Be it arms, legs, or kidneys, fingers, or feet.

Is it sad? Absolutely. Is it unholy? No.

These men fought for freedom so that it could grow.

Missing at D-Day or captured in 'Nam,

Run through with a saber or killed by a bomb,

A force so great was compelling and calling

That men kept enlisting while soldiers kept falling.

Behind all these actions, the thought was, "Can I

See that freedom lives on if for it I should die?"

Men have fought for this right under countless odd banners

(Now, please, just excuse me and forgive my manners),

But their movements and rallies have always been crushed

For the autocracy said that they should be hushed.

In America freedom not only survives,

But spreads itself out liberally, and it thrives.

Of course we have problems. I do understand

That some issues are very ingrained in our land.

The riots, the protests, the general unrest,

Gangsters shooting policemen, our bravest and best;

But the good should not be overlooked by the bad

Or else one day we'll look back on what we "once had."

So stand up for your country. Be happy you're free!

Be glad you can argue with people like me

And drive me insane with your radical views

(Just don't be upset when I win and you lose.).

Our nation is great and our nation is blessed

The rest of the world struggles simply to crest

The hillocks of progress we conquer with ease

We've vanquished our enemies, wiped out disease

On shores home and foreign, seen nations arise

From the ruins of empires before our eyes.

I love my dear country, the U. S. of A.,

Without it I would not have wrote this today.

It is strong, its story enraptures the planet,

Though oft wrong, it has glory as firm as the granite.

Sometimes granite has faults, as some other rocks do,

And it might crack a bit, 'fore the storms all get through,

But the stone stills endures just a little bit longer

Through the trials it faced, it has now become stronger.

So I truly believe deep down in my heart

That our factions and fighting won't tear us apart.

We'll have them again as we've had them before

And we're having them now (The variety's poor.);

But we'll always come through it. Whatever affronts

Us with threat or invasion, we all bear the brunt

And we join hands and hearts while the old flag still waves

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.