The Star-Spangled Filk Song

[Haggridd]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Caius Marcius" 
<coriolan at w...> wrote:
     - CMC


> And it's too bad that few ever know more than the first stanza of 
SSB – 
> the second stanza has always been my favorite – you may recall 
during 
> the War of 1812 - on the evening of Sept. 13 1814 to be exact - 
> Baltimore lawyer Francis Scott Key was briefly held in custody on 
a 
> British ship during their attack on Baltimore. All through the 
night, 
> Key remained uncertain as to the course of the battle (after all, 
the 
> Brits had just burned down our Executive Mansion and looted the 
> Capitol a few weeks before) – but at sunrise he could see the 
> American flag still flying over Fort McHenry. He published the 
poem 
> in a local paper on Sept. 20.
> 
> 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!
> 
> Get all four verses here:
> 
> http://www.contemplator.com/america/ssbanner.html
> 
>     - CMC

I was given all four verses to copy out many times for punishment in 
grammar scholl, for which I am grateful.  I never fail to be deeply 
moved by our National Anthem.  Great Britain, the hyperpower of the 
nineteenth century, has continued to occupy U.S. soil in violation 
of the Treaty of Paris of 1783.  She kidnaps our sailors under the 
guns of the capital ships of the day: the ships of the line.  She 
has invaded our capital, eaten the State dinner laid out by the 
White House-Elves, and burnt down the White House.  She is attacking 
Fort McHenry with the state of the art missiles of the day:  
Congreve rockets.  How can we endure this?  The only indication 
Francis Scott Keyes has is the flag flying above the fort.  So long 
as it still remains flying, the British have failed in their 
mission.  All night the light and noise of the artillery and the 
Congreves keep everybody from sleeping.  Perhaps, despite the noise, 
some have dropped off for forty winks.  Will the Stars and Stripes--
15 of each-- still be visible after the all night barrage?

This is what comes to mind at the beginning of every baseball game.  
I am so lucky.

Happy Birthday to us, 
Happy Birthday to us, 
Happy Birthday, United States of America, 
Happy Birhtday to us.

Haggridd