blazing in the sky, make the flag of our country to be cherished by all our hearts, to be upheld by all our hands. VOCABULARY: văl'-or-bravery; courage. rěv′-er-ence—great respect and affection. nă'-tion-al—of the nation or belonging to the nation. THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY Francis Scott Key (1780-1843) was an American lawyer and poet. He was a native of Maryland. His "The Star-Spangled Banner' made him famous. 1 O SAY, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming; And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 2 On that shore, dimly seen through the mist of the deep, As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses ? 3 And where are the foes 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 washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave; 4 O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war's desolation; Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved 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 HELPS TO STUDY Historical: The incidents referred to in this poem occurred during the war of 1812. In August, 1814, a strong force of British entered Washington and burned the Capitol, the White House, and many other public buildings. On September 13 the British admiral moved his fleet into position to attack Fort McHenry. The bombardment of the fort lasted all night, but the fort was so bravely defended that the flag was still floating over it when morning came. Just before the bombardment began, Francis Scott Key was sent to the admiral's frigate to arrange for an exchange of prisoners and was told to wait until the bombardment was over. All night he watched the fort and by the first rays of morning light he saw the Stars and Stripes still waving. Then, in his joy and pride, he wrote the stirring words of the song, which is now known and loved by all Americans "The Star Spangled Banner.'' res'-cue-to free or deliver from danger or evil. WORDS AND PHRASES: "mist of the deep" "fitfully blows' "rocket's red glare" "haughty host'' "ramparts'' "bombs bursting in air" "Star-Spangled" "towering steep" THE NAME OF OLD GLORY* JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY James Whitcomb Riley (1852- ) is an American poet. He was born in Indiana and is called "The Hoosier Poet."' OLD GLORY! say, who, By the ships and the crew, 1 And the long, blended ranks of the gray and the blue,— As you cast yourself free to the rapturous air *Copyright, 1900, James Whitcomb Riley. Published by permission of the Bbs-Merrill Company. With your stars at their glittering best overhead— By day or by night Their delightfullest light Laughing down from their little square heaven of blue !-- The old banner lifted, and faltering then 2 Old Glory: the story we're wanting to hear Repeat it, and cheer it, 's a tang to the spirit And seeing you fly, and the boys marching by, For you, floating above, And the scars of all wars and the sorrows thereof, Then the old banner leaped, like a sail in the blast, 3 And it spake, with a shake of the voice, and it said -- |