"Spirit of America" by Norman Rockwell‘America’: A Memorial Day Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society May 29, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 19 Comments . America America, vast land of dreams __From sea to shining sea, Where eagles soar and twilight gleams __On Lady Liberty; America, you lit the way For those who sought a brighter day __In glorious company; America, land of the free, You hold a golden history. America, home of the brave __Who battled for a voice, Who gave courageous lives to save __The right to make a choice; America, of rock and roll, Of apple pie and stalwart soul __With stars and stripes to wave, Please know your wonder and your worth— Your spangled space on planet earth. America, now times are dark __And hope is on the wane, Never lose your grit and spark— __No soul should die in vain. America, stand up and sing— Let your soaring anthem ring __And sparkle once again With reverence for those who died— Their gift should never be denied. America, you’re so much more __Than cons who claim to care— Thugs who strut the Whitehouse floor— __Fiends who scheme and scare. America, stand tall and proud, Rise above the ruling crowd— __Unite in all that’s fair. America was built on truth— Let we the people be the proof. . . Susan Jarvis Bryant has poetry published on Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, Light, Sparks of Calliope, and Expansive Poetry Online. She also has poetry published in TRINACRIA, Beth Houston’s Extreme Formal Poems anthology, and in Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets in the UK). Susan is the winner of the 2020 International SCP Poetry Competition, and has been nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 19 Responses Brian A Yapko May 29, 2023 A wonderfully moving and patriotic poem, Susan. I’m especially touched by the lines: “Let your soaring anthem ring/And sparkle once again/With reverence for those who died…” On this Memorial Day, my prayers join with yours for a revival and restoration of the true meaning of the United States of America. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Brian, thank you – I really appreciate your lovely comment, and I’m thrilled the lines that move you contain words of remembrance for those who fought for all we are losing rapidly. I have come to love my new home here in the US, and I hope with all my heart “for a revival and restoration of the true meaning of the United States of America” – beautifully put, my friend! Reply Mary Gardner May 29, 2023 Susan, thank you for this stirring paean to the United States. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Mary, thank you very much indeed! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson May 29, 2023 Powerful poem perfect for this particular Memorial Day and many others recently, as well. My sustaining hope fits the view that “America was built on truth” and must return to our foundation of the Constitution, Law and Order, Punishment for the corrupt at every political and social level, and the Precepts of the Bible. Reply Joshua C. Frank May 29, 2023 I agree: America can’t return to its former greatness unless we return to Christian faith. Sadly, even professing “Christians” in this country are, for the most part, thoroughly secularized; like unbelievers, they no more want to be truly Christian (that is, believe as Christians have always believed and try their best to live accordingly) than they want to go back under the British crown. I think the only long-term solution is for believing Christians to have large families and survive as a people long enough for the mainstream culture to die out through lack of breeding. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Josh, I think you have a very good point. I believe Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary is thinking along the same lines, and it’s paying off… in Hungary. It’s a pity the rest of the Western world isn’t following his example. Instead, he is demonized for promoting family life. Joshua C. Frank May 30, 2023 Interesting fact: I read that Hungary’s total fertility rate is 1.3 children per woman, but this figure is misleading. For gypsies, it’s about 4.5, and gypsies are now 10% of Hungary’s population. Which means for non-gypsy Hungarians, it’s more like 0.9. If this continues, and it most likely will since no human society has ever recovered from a rate under 1.3, Hungary will be closer to 90% gypsy by 2100. Paul Freeman May 30, 2023 Not sure where you read these numbers, Joshua, but Hungary has been down this route with its minority populations before. Joshua C. Frank May 30, 2023 Maybe so, but its majority population has never had such a low birth rate. If not for higher-fertility minority populations, the Hungarian population would just go extinct through lack of breeding. It’s happening in many places in Europe, as well as Japan. Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Roy, thank you very much, and you are absolutely right when you say we “must return to our foundation of the Constitution, Law and Order, Punishment for the corrupt at every political and social level, and the Precepts of the Bible.” Reply Joshua C. Frank May 29, 2023 Susan, as a native-born American, I have to say, this is wonderful, especially coming from one who was born outside this country. It brought tears to my eyes—every bit of it is great. Keep up the good work! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Josh, it’s a real honor to hear you say that these words have touched you. I have come to love America and I know that she is far more than the draconian rulers seeking to ruin her right now. Thank you! Reply Mark Stellinga May 29, 2023 A superb tribute to our seriously ailing nation and to all those who fought and continue to fight for her, Susan, you’re many excellent pieces are more patriotic than 95% of our politicians. I’m so proud to know you, both of you. Love your 2 new books, can’t wait for the 3rd. I just finished categorizing a little over 500 more pieces for my next beast. I know how tedious it sometimes gets. Stay safe – M & C Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Mark, thank you very much for your appreciative comment. I hope you and your family had a lovely day, and I wish you all the very best with the publication of your “next beast”. 🙂 Reply Joseph S. Salemi May 29, 2023 Notice that the first four lines of each stanza in Susan’s poem could be sung to the tune of “America, the Beautiful” — and the line “From sea to shining sea” is the last line of that original song. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Joe, I am always grateful for your fine eye. This was a tough one for me. I tried to capture the essence of America with the points you mention… points I’m thrilled haven’t gone unnoticed. Reply Yael May 30, 2023 Thank you for this beautiful and uplifting poem Susan, I really enjoyed this. It’s just right for Memorial Day. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 31, 2023 Yael, thank you very much indeed. I hope you had a good one! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Brian A Yapko May 29, 2023 A wonderfully moving and patriotic poem, Susan. I’m especially touched by the lines: “Let your soaring anthem ring/And sparkle once again/With reverence for those who died…” On this Memorial Day, my prayers join with yours for a revival and restoration of the true meaning of the United States of America. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Brian, thank you – I really appreciate your lovely comment, and I’m thrilled the lines that move you contain words of remembrance for those who fought for all we are losing rapidly. I have come to love my new home here in the US, and I hope with all my heart “for a revival and restoration of the true meaning of the United States of America” – beautifully put, my friend! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson May 29, 2023 Powerful poem perfect for this particular Memorial Day and many others recently, as well. My sustaining hope fits the view that “America was built on truth” and must return to our foundation of the Constitution, Law and Order, Punishment for the corrupt at every political and social level, and the Precepts of the Bible. Reply
Joshua C. Frank May 29, 2023 I agree: America can’t return to its former greatness unless we return to Christian faith. Sadly, even professing “Christians” in this country are, for the most part, thoroughly secularized; like unbelievers, they no more want to be truly Christian (that is, believe as Christians have always believed and try their best to live accordingly) than they want to go back under the British crown. I think the only long-term solution is for believing Christians to have large families and survive as a people long enough for the mainstream culture to die out through lack of breeding. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Josh, I think you have a very good point. I believe Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary is thinking along the same lines, and it’s paying off… in Hungary. It’s a pity the rest of the Western world isn’t following his example. Instead, he is demonized for promoting family life.
Joshua C. Frank May 30, 2023 Interesting fact: I read that Hungary’s total fertility rate is 1.3 children per woman, but this figure is misleading. For gypsies, it’s about 4.5, and gypsies are now 10% of Hungary’s population. Which means for non-gypsy Hungarians, it’s more like 0.9. If this continues, and it most likely will since no human society has ever recovered from a rate under 1.3, Hungary will be closer to 90% gypsy by 2100.
Paul Freeman May 30, 2023 Not sure where you read these numbers, Joshua, but Hungary has been down this route with its minority populations before.
Joshua C. Frank May 30, 2023 Maybe so, but its majority population has never had such a low birth rate. If not for higher-fertility minority populations, the Hungarian population would just go extinct through lack of breeding. It’s happening in many places in Europe, as well as Japan.
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Roy, thank you very much, and you are absolutely right when you say we “must return to our foundation of the Constitution, Law and Order, Punishment for the corrupt at every political and social level, and the Precepts of the Bible.” Reply
Joshua C. Frank May 29, 2023 Susan, as a native-born American, I have to say, this is wonderful, especially coming from one who was born outside this country. It brought tears to my eyes—every bit of it is great. Keep up the good work! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Josh, it’s a real honor to hear you say that these words have touched you. I have come to love America and I know that she is far more than the draconian rulers seeking to ruin her right now. Thank you! Reply
Mark Stellinga May 29, 2023 A superb tribute to our seriously ailing nation and to all those who fought and continue to fight for her, Susan, you’re many excellent pieces are more patriotic than 95% of our politicians. I’m so proud to know you, both of you. Love your 2 new books, can’t wait for the 3rd. I just finished categorizing a little over 500 more pieces for my next beast. I know how tedious it sometimes gets. Stay safe – M & C Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Mark, thank you very much for your appreciative comment. I hope you and your family had a lovely day, and I wish you all the very best with the publication of your “next beast”. 🙂 Reply
Joseph S. Salemi May 29, 2023 Notice that the first four lines of each stanza in Susan’s poem could be sung to the tune of “America, the Beautiful” — and the line “From sea to shining sea” is the last line of that original song. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 29, 2023 Joe, I am always grateful for your fine eye. This was a tough one for me. I tried to capture the essence of America with the points you mention… points I’m thrilled haven’t gone unnoticed. Reply
Yael May 30, 2023 Thank you for this beautiful and uplifting poem Susan, I really enjoyed this. It’s just right for Memorial Day. Reply
