The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-30
Fourth ofJuly
By HEZEKIAH BUTTERWoRTfI

+ "ODAY the birthright Of her hope
the marching nation sings.
i And DER the. arms of laughing
forts the banner lifts her wings
Today in honor of the flag the myriad Ia
bors cease.
And breathe the Silver bugles low tn
mellowed notes of peace,
Ho, bugles, no. Ho, glimmering bands
Ho, veterans old and true.
Ho, children marching for the States mid
roses wined with dew,
Behind We thrice a hundred years, be.
fore, a thousand grand,
What says the Past to you today, o chill
dren>of the land?
What are thy legends, o thou flag. tina,
gladdenest land and sea?
What is thy meaning in the air amid the
jubilee?
Flag of the sun that glows for all,
Flag of the breeze that blows for all,
Flag of the sea that flows for all
The silver bugles blow and blow across
the silver sea,
What is thy meaning in the air? o ban
ner, answer me!
No azure pavon old art thou, borne or
the palmer's spear:
No orifiamme Of Red Cross knight, or
coiffured cavalier;
No gold pomegranates of the sun burn
on thy silken cloud,
Nor shamrock green, nor thistle red, nor
couchant lion proud
No golden bees Of purpled isles on red
taffeta wrought
Nor eagle posing in the sky above the
ocelot
No gaping dragons haunt thy folds as in
the white suns spray.
When westering Vikings turned their
prows from noonless Norroway;
No double crowns beneath the cross are
in thy hueS unfurled,
Such as the Prophet Pilot led toward the
sunset world;
No Golden Virgin. circlet-crowned. such
as with knightly pride
Old Balboa threw upon the air DER the
Pacific tide.
Not cen ST. Georges Cross Is there that
led the Mayflower on,
Nor old ST. Andrews Cross Of faith-the
Double Cross is gone.
The silver bugles blow and blow across
the silver sea,
What is thy meaning. o thou nag! this
day Of jubilee?
children of the States! yon flag more
happy lusters deck
Than orif1ammes of old Navarro, or Cres-
sy, or Rosebeq
The Covenanters' field of blue, caught
from the clear sky, see.
And Lyra's burning stars Of peace and
endless unity.
The morning beams across 1t stream in
roses red and white.
As though 'twere outward rolled from
heaven by angels Of the light.
All hail to thee, celestial flag, on this
prophetic morn.
That minglest with the light Of heaven
hail, nag of heaven. born!
The silver bugles blow and blow across
the silver sea,
And speakeAt thou to every soul this day
OF jubilee!
Flag Of the battlenslds with pride be-
meath thy folds stand,
While syveiess Freedom lifts to thee her
choral trumpets grand
Thou stsnd'st for 4onmouth's march Of
IRE. for Trenton's lines Of flame,
For ripping Eutaw's field Of blood, for
Yorktown's endless fame:
For Cape Dc Gait. and fierce Algiers. and
Perry's blood-red deck,
For Vera Crux. and Monterey. and white
Chapultepec:
Thou stand'st for Sumtsr's broken wan.
- high above Tybes
The shouting forts uplift &gain the Stars
Of Unity:
For Chattanooga rain Of flre and that
grand echelon
The deep drums led at Gettysburg be-
neath~the smoky sun:
Thou stand'st for Progress and the years
all solden-orbed to be.
For earth's new Rome upon the land,
and Greece upon the sea-
Thou stand'st that al the rights Of msa
may every people bless,
And Gods own kingdom walk the world
in peace and righteousness!
o my America! whose nag No throne
amid the sky.
Beneath whose folds 't1s Me to ilvs and
MODEST death to die.
hear the silver bugles blow across the
silver sea,
And bless my God my palace stands
cottage hoase n thee
80 speak III voices q the Pas1 ~ eAil-
dron Of tho land,
Behind 10 th1ico . hundred years. before
. thousand grand,
Such are the legends Of yon flaD that
.g1addeno land and go, .
Such 10 the Hand that scrolls the cir this
day Of jubilee.
Flag Of the sun that shinU for an.
Flag Of the breeze that blows for all,
Flag Of the sea that lows for IN.
Hail! nag OF Liberty! all hail!
The Festai Day has come!
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