The Spark

The lamp she lifted seemed to flicker

The winds of doubt that blew

Now made the darkness thicker

A fog of apathy arose

And choked the dying flame

But on the smoking wick

An amber still remains

The spark of freedom is alive

In awe I sat alone and wondered

What kept the spark alive?

Was it merely in her numbers?

The missiles sleeping in their silos?

Or the stockpiles of her grain?

Her bankers buying gold?

What fed the tiny flame?

Our strength is not in legal tender

In God we trust

The spark is us

Give Caesar his own render

From Wall Street to the ghettos

To the Rocky Mountain meadows

Take heart my friends

The spark of freedom will survive

In times of war, in times of peace

Succeed we must

Famine or feast

Take heart my friend

Through sword or pen

Through thick and thin

I will defend

The spark of freedom with my life

Before my eyes at once appeared an apparition

The halls of congress

Only filled with politicians

And in the courtrooms judges slept

With more vengeance than a mob

As generals said, "It's dirty."

"Someone do the job."

Then men and women suddenly arose

And cast their votes against the poles

As jurors gave their verdict

Soldiers left their homes

To those who work the bellows

That feed the flame and fellows

Take part my friends

It all depends on you

They can burn the stars and stripes

They can spurn her huddled masses

But in human hearts

The vital spark

Rises from the ashes