Remembering July Four
By Glenn Currier
I’ve read of the blistering Philly heat
our forefathers braved to meet
to declare one nation to be free
of another’s tyranny
so in the midst of this summer season
we happily have a good reason
to sing of rockets red glare
see fireworks bursting in air.
Yesterday I got a tear in my eye
when I saw walking by
two guys, one a lot older
with a folded flag strapped to his shoulder.
I wondered why he’d done that,
then remembered: my uncle’s hat
emblazoned with the stars and stripes
and his funeral and the bag pipes
that played America and amazing grace
and could see the proud look on his face
as he saluted at the fly-by’s roar
to honor his country on July four.
- Dedicated to my new Poetry In Progress friend, Dave Bates and my brother-in-law Roger Mills. Both of these men are military veterans.
Author's Note: I sent to the members of our new poetry group a poetic challenge to: write a poem whose title has a number, and write about that number. The above is my response to that poetic prompt.
