24th of July

Oh heck! 

Did you hear?

By the dawn’s early light,

The fire chief's truck 

And his crews delight?

With hats and their boots

And their mortars all poised,

The volleys began, outside on my door. 

My dreams were all stopped, my heart racing wild.

From rest I was raised, 

I was startled and dazed,

Alarms rang out. 

The cars from afar.

The locals declared,

Are my cows and my horses still there?

Bombs bursting in flight

As I looked at the clock,

Five something it said

When I raised out of bed.

I lay down my head and just closed my eyes,

When all over it started, 

Heck! Heck! Heck!

Not again, with the fright.

The coffee pots on,

My eggs are all scrambled.

Where is that old band wagon and band?

The Lions club float with bass and guitar, 

Just passed by my door. 

Is that Moe, Curley and Joe?

Kids parade soon begins, 

The children will lead.

The sirens and floats,

Are beginning to meet.

I better get down and set out my chairs,

Before some neighbor crowds out my fair share.

Kids with bikes and tots with their trikes,

Mothers’ along with Dads’ with their cameras,

Taking pictures of mayors and cute girls. 

The smiles and the candies, the kids all in joy.

Fire truck’s with water are spraying the crowd, 

I swear I’ll get even somehow or some way.

It goes by so fast, they turn and return,

The 20th’s the day we celebrate this day

It allows all our families and friends to stay.

Our 800 is doubled or tripled I’m sure,

By the looks of the traffic and families today.

The town park is all crowded with flair and with games, 

The boy scouts are cooking, 

Am I really that brave?

I’ll give them a try,

And hope I don’t die.

The kids are all climbing and swinging so high, 

On new playground equipment and slides on the side.

The rodeo, 

The dance, 

The fireworks all tell,

That our pride and our song for those who came first,

They paved us the way, and tamed this land,

They gave us our heritage on this fine day.