Amanuensis Monday - Grandma Hill's Poetry, Week 40

For flag day...

Our Flag

We can’t fail to feel pride, when we think of “Old Glory”

And think of the trials and sacrifices that are back of her story.

When we think of the stripes, patterned after the morn,

And the stars on their field of blue, each added as a state was born.

The white stands for purity of purpose, for which we’ve always aimed,

The red for the blood of patriots as they fell, either dying or maimed.

The azure blue field studded with stars of pure white

Shows our undying aim to stand always for the right.

All taken together and given to the eagle to guard

Gives warning to beware of your actions if you come in our yard.

The eagle’s far-seeing eye and shrill piercing scream

Are warning enough to shatter a tyrant’s fondest dreams.

These, added to our brave boys of the Army, Navy and Air

Should frighten any pair of jackals back to their lair.

And our acts of mercy should make conquered nations to feel

They no longer need fear the grind of a mad tyrant’s heel.

Nancy Jane Wiley Hill (1875-1960) was always writing something.  Many of those poems are now in the possession of her granddaughter Shirley Kern.  Shirley, with the help of her sister-in-law Ruth Ormsby, transcribed these poems in 1996 for a Hill-Ormsby-Kern family reunion.  I am going to post many of these poems so that they may be enjoyed by all.

These are copyright 1996 and reprinted with permission.