O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Read more: The Star-Spangled Banner — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0194015.html/#ixzz1zejTA86I
It is quite fascinating to note that today, Wednesday - July 4th 2012 - The United States of America celebrates its 236th year of Independence from Great Britain.
This same year on August 31st 2012 - Trinidad and Tobago will celebrate it's 50th year of Independence from Great Britain.
For many in Trinidad this will mark a significant milestone in the country's history. There are many who think we could have done a lot more in our 50 years of Independence. There are many - who I consider the practical minded people - who are quite aware the journey has just begun.
I have borrowed the words of the poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 that was adopted as the National Anthem of the United States of America in 1931.
The story behind the writing of these words is testimony to the struggles that a country seeking Independence goes through.
As I wish the USA a Happy Independence Day, I want to put a plea out to all those countries who have not even seen 100 years of Independence - WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
We do have the potential to leap frog many "growth" aspects if we pay attention to history, but as history has told us time and time again - no one ever learns from history, we only learn from our own mistakes. So in about 236 years or so Trinbagonians maybe we will have achieved some of the things that we so desperately desire in 2012. God speed to those who are still here on this island in the year 2198. I hope we'd at least be as efficient as some of the "old" nations in the world today.
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