Two For One Just a piece of parchment paper With words formed by a quill ink pen That begin

with, "We, the people." Includes Amendments One through Ten. That ink has dried two centuries Its' words though still crisp and clear And we should celebrate their writing More than each, hundredth year. They give us each the life we live Provide our priceless liberty That more than any place on Earth There is a land where one is free. On July the Fourth we celebrate Our Freedoms' Declaration But the American Constitution's What really made this nation.

A CONSTITUTION RESOLUTION More than two hundred years have passed And it has withstood the test A timeless writ of foresight Though not perfect, still the best. Those words upon that parchment Promise equal rights to all Words inspired by mans need To answer freedoms' call. A prophecy of future ways Which still works for us today (How did they know what to write So it would turn out that way?). Laws are changed and amended If they people will it so But there are so few of them We ever will outgrow. It's been discussed and debated -

Interpreted differently But the basics remain the same Protecting the land of the free. An unlimited guarantee With no expiration date If those words had not been written This world might face a different fate. So let's celebrate and think about The laws of this great land For without them all would be lost Wiped 'way by some tyrants' hand

WE, THE PEOPLE We, the people of these United States To form a more perfect union Do, hereby ordain and reestablish This American Constitution To promote a general Welfare Provide a common Defence And to establish equal Justice In a setting from whence We, the people of this Great Nation In safe Tranquillity Can secure all the Blessings Of guaranteed Liberty. AMENDMENT I We have the Right to Assemble Freedom of Press and Speech The Right for all to Petition And all Religions to Preach. AMENDMENT II We have the Right to a Militia For State Security The Right to keep and bear Arms One more Guarantee. AMENDMENT III In times when there is Peace

Then the Right to Commandeer Possessions by the Soldier The Law says, "No.", it's clear But if it is in Wartime Then, for those who live its' Hell The Law says, we must open doors Provide them a place to Dwell. AMENDMENT IV Illegal Searches are Prohibited As for Seizures, it's the same Unless a Warrant has been issued That states specific Place and Name. AMENDMENT V No person without Due Process Shall be Tried for any Crime And for any one Offense Shall be Indicted just one time No one shall have to Testify Against themselves, if they do Life, Liberty, and Property To be Protected by Laws too. AMENDMENT VI One accused of Crime has Right To a speedy public Trial To a Jury of his Peers To Legal Counsel all the while To confront his Accusers To have Witness for his side To be Convicted by the Proof Not by things merely implied. AMENDMENT VII The Right to Jury Trial Shall always be preserved Except, as is Provided The Judgment will be Observed. AMENDMENT VIII No Excessive Fines will be imposed Excessive Bail is not permitted No Cruel, Unusual Punishment

Is to be Inflicted. AMENDMENT IX Those Rights listed herein Shall not take away From those retained by the People Or the Will, of what they say. AMENDMENT X The Laws other that those stated Shall be written by each State By the Will of the People To unique problems, they'll relate. These First through Tenth Amendments Of our Constitution Are the most important For our Freedoms' Resolution We must always Protect them And not let them slip away For, though they don't work perfectly This World has not a better way. LADY LIBERTY STILL YOUNG AT HEART You're a grand and stately "Lady" Your head held up so proud and high A book of our laws in one hand The other lighting freedoms' sky. You have greeted many millions To the gates of freedoms' land You offered them a way of life Not found in their Fatherland. You have welcomed home our troops From those far-off foreign wars Where we fought and died for liberty To keep oppression from our shores. You've observed a lot of changes And through all, stayed young at heart Still honoring those promises Which were made right at the start.

Now you are a century old But you do not show your age Though in the books of history You have turned many a page. So have a Happy Birthday, Lady And may your light forever shine We thank you for your tireless vigil At the worlds' freedom lifeline. INDEPENDENCE DAY In the year of 1776 That paper was decreed They were tired of oppression And wanted to be freed . They wrote a Declaration So the whole world would see This was, "the home of the brave And the land of the free". They signed that piece of parchment The leaders of this land Knowing, divided they would fall But, together they could stand. A new world lay before them Untamed from shore to shore They swore the would protect it If it meant going to war. Battles have been fought And many lives have been lost So sad something so basic Has such a high, high cost. 'Seems freedom is a luxury There's some would bind us all Like then, together, we can stand But divided, we will fall. More than two hundred years Have past by since that day That each of us celebrate

In our own different way. We should be proud and thankful Pay our share of the cost Not take freedom for granted For it easily could be lost. PAUSE A MOMENT Friends and family gather For Independence Day We'll celebrate our freedom And the American way. They'll be picnics in the park And fireworks in the sky As some salute "Old Glory" With a teardrop in their eye. There's some who can't be with us They died in some foreign land For when Liberty was threatened They heard the call and made their stand. So, as we reap the harvest Of the great American dream Let's pause a moment, thank those Who paid the price, supreme. FREEDOMS' MEMORIAL This day is set aside to honor those who took the chance to die. But they have died in vain if we ever forget the reason why. Freedom can be like time slipping away before we even know. But we all have the choice more, a duty

to battle freedoms' foe. Let us give thanks this day to all those brave who paid the highest cost. Not take it for granted and realize it easily could be lost. THE GOOD OL' DAYS They said, "It's alright to burn it." "You can throw it to the ground." "You can wear it on your back. That symbol of the freedom bound. It's been through catastrophes Flown high in wartimes' strife Men swore they would protect it And did so with their life. What makes them so supreme The high court of this land To tell us when those Stars and Stripes Should fall; when they should stand. What right do they think they have To let our flag be set ablaze Once, it was loved and respected Back there, in the good ol' days. OLD GLORY More than two hundred years ago Betsy Ross sewed strips of rag From those bits of colored cloth Was shaped "Old Glory", our grand flag. Stripes of red and white For the thirteen colonies White stars against the blue Began waving in the breeze. It's gone through minor changes -

With stars added, as we grew It's flown proudly o'er our land And in some other countries, too. That symbol of our freedom Should be protected, at all cost But now our reverence for it Seems, to be getting lost. There are some things so sacred To our great American way That, those who desecrate it Should, have a price, to pay. Even though each buys his own That flag belongs to us all It's owned by all the people And we should never let it fall.

From my book, THE WORLD, WAR, FREEDOM, AND MORE