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EMarshallBuckles
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 19th, 2007 |
| Location: | Rockville (Near Richmond), Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 625 |
| First Name: | Marshall | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Christian Church,Episcopal Church,Baptist denomination,learning about RCC |
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Posted: Thu Jul 3rd, 2008 07:48 pm |
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Several years ago, while my daughter was still small enough
to be picked up and held, my wife, daughter and I went to Meadowfarm Museum, in Henrico County(adjacent to Richmond, VA), where a Fourth of July celebration was being held that day. At Noon,some colonial costumed actors marched up to the front steps of the historic old farmhouse there,where one of them read the Declaration of Independence as if it was July 1776. After the reading, he asked all present to join him in a cheer and we did so. He then marched off with his fellow actors as if they were going to other nearby farms to spread the word of the Declaration of Independence. Some fife and drum players were with him. I don't know what tune they played but it stuck in my mind for the rest of the day. Later, because rain was predicted in the Richmond area, my wife, daughter and I went to Williamsburg to see the fireworks there. We stood on Duke of Gloucester Street in front of Bruton Parish Church where we could, that year, see the fireworks go up above the spire of the church. As the Williamsburg fireworks went up, I held my daughter in my arms while my wife put her hands over our daughter's ears to protect them from the noise of the fireworks. Feeling safe and her ears protected, my daughter watched the fireworks with wide, enraptured eyes. I occasionally glanced at the fireworks but mostly enjoyed my precious daughter's reaction to them. I could truly see the fireworks sparkle in her eyes. I also glanced at the many people around us who, like many other people across our nation, were watching the annual fireworks display which have become somewhat like a sort of "civil sacrament". The poem below started for form in my mind with the beat of the colonial song we had heard earlier. Later, when we got home, I watched the Boston Pops fireworks on TV and started writing down the following poem. At one point, a couple of years ago, I tried submitting it to our regional library poetry contest but the local staff apparently felt that it was not worth sending in to the main contest. I started to just delete the poem from my computer but decided to keep it. As we approach the Fourth of July, I was reminded of the poem and was looking at it a while ago.
With the above in mind, and if you care to read my poem below, I was wondering if any of you might feel that the poem is "garbage" or
if it might be actual reasonably decent poetry, more or less. I was also wondering if the use of the word "sacrament", in this poem, would be offensive to anyone. Please know that when I wrote the poem, I had no idea that I would be studing the Catholic Church intensively and chatting with my good Catholic brothers and sisters in the future, yet, even so, it was NOT my intent to be offensive to anyone. I just sort of had the imagery come to mind as we stood outside Bruton Parish Church, an Episcopal Church which has been in Williamsburg since the 1600s, watching the fireworks. With all this in mind, I would be grateful for any comments, positive or negative, which any of you may have about the poem. It has never been published unless posting it here would count as publishing it (not sure about that).
Following, please kindly see my poem, "American Sacrament"
“American Sacrament”
By: E. Marshall Buckles
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
We went to Williamsburg
My wife, my daughter and I
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
We went to Williamsburg
To watch the fireworks fly
Duke of Gloucester Street
There we took our stand
Neath dark colonial skies
To see the sights so grand
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
When we went to Williamsburg
To watch the fireworks fly
O’er Bruton’s lofty spire
With a booming fire
Flashes sang our nation’s birth
Like a celestial choir
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
When we went to Williamsburg
To watch the fireworks fly
Neath sparkling testament
And smokey incense scent
We partook our nation’s annual civil sacrament
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
When we went to Williamsburg
To watch the fireworks fly
As she watched the skies
With enchanted surprise
The fireworks gleamed and glittered
In my daughter’s wide eyes
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
When we went to Williamsburg
To watch the fireworks fly
O may our star spangled flag
Overhead long wave
O’er the land of the free
And the home of the brave
On the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July
May we always look above
And watch the fireworks fly!
 
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left coast mystic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 10th, 2008 |
| Location: | La Honda, California USA |
| Posts: | 145 |
| First Name: | Marcee | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nondenominational charismatic, Presbyterian, long-time lover of the RCC |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 03:22 pm |
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Marshall -
What rich imagery! I only wish I could hear the drums beating in the background. And I believe that a "civil sacrament" is exactly what this event is for Americans. It is an act which binds us together and distinguishes us from non-Americans.
Marcee
____________________
Godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6)
In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength. (Isa. 30:15)
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EMarshallBuckles
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 19th, 2007 |
| Location: | Rockville (Near Richmond), Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 625 |
| First Name: | Marshall | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Christian Church,Episcopal Church,Baptist denomination,learning about RCC |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 03:48 pm |
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Marcee, thank you for your kind commentary! Happy Fourth of July to you and to everyone who may read this! May God bless and save the United States of America! 
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PerpetualJourney
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jul 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 15 |
| First Name: | PJ | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of Christ |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 04:07 pm |
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I love the poem, and reading about "home" - I am originally from VA. Thank you for sharing.
____________________
"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." -St. Francis of Assisi
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pam
Member
| Joined: | Sat Nov 11th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 115 |
| First Name: | Pam | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Former Non-denominational Bible Church |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 04:23 pm |
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Thanks so much for sharing your poem with us, Marshall. It has blessed my 4th.
PJ, I'm originally from VA too. That state stays in your heart for life. Beautiful place, lovely people.
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1242 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 06:55 pm |
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Happy Fourth to one of my favorite patriots! 
Marshall, your poem helped put me in the spirit for a party I am to attend in a few hours. 
Blessings on you and your family,
Becky
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"He who will persevere unto the end is not he who will never fall, but he who after every fall will humble himself and rise again, relying on the infinite strength of God." Divine Intimacy, p. 885 Father Gabriel, O.C.D.
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EMarshallBuckles
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 19th, 2007 |
| Location: | Rockville (Near Richmond), Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 625 |
| First Name: | Marshall | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Christian Church,Episcopal Church,Baptist denomination,learning about RCC |
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Posted: Fri Jul 4th, 2008 11:19 pm |
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 Thank you all so very much for your very kind compliments about the poem! I am deeply touched that you would enjoy it! I had entered it in a local library poetry competition, a couple of years ago, and it got rejected. It does my heart good that someone actually enjoyed it!
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