Look Away
“Look away, across the fabled sea,”
Our fathers cried, with voices loud and clear,
There’s a place awaiting you and me,
And all who’d live in hope and not in fear.
“Look away” from servitude and chains,
From tyrant greed and realms of dark decay,
There’s a promised land of shining plains
With liberty the air of each new day!
So they left their kindred, home and land,
And came here by the millions, wave on wave,
Joining in the glad and happy band
That forged a home for all, the free and brave.
Reaching for their dreams, they dimly viewed
The prize, but faith led on in freedom’s quest—
Mortal men their liberty pursued—
And lo! A light was rising in the west.
Strong in heart, our fathers saw that light
And breaking all the bonds of powers past,
Firm in declaration of the right,
Upon their God alone their fortunes cast.
Grace they had, and though they often erred,
And darkness sometimes slew the good and brave,
Hope was theirs till better days repaired
The land that God so blessed and freely gave.
Now to us is passed the founding will,
To keep one nation under God still free,
Liberty and justice living still,
While leaders rule with firm integrity;
Men who value truth above all else,
Who know that liberty no license makes,
Loving God and country more than self
And standing strong to give what freedom takes.
“Monuments must fall!” we hear the claim,
And tolerance must moral truth displace,
Some would trade our nation’s pride for shame,
And would our country’s heritage efface.
Brave men died to keep this freedom’s land,
And lesser men now take the elder seat,
Are there any left who dare to stand
And snatch the country back from sure defeat?
Look away, across the amber plain,
A million footsteps marching can be heard,
Prayers are gathering in like ripened grain,
The People only need to speak the word!
Look away and take up freedom’s song,
Declare the right to live a life that’s good,
Patriots who join a mighty throng
And truly know the bond of brotherhood.
Roger Crane, a native of San Diego, is a retired English teacher. His self-published book of poetry is Revelations in the Dawn.
Roger, this is a great poem for the 250th anniversary of America from our early promise to the present hope that patriots with the torch of truth renew the flame.
Thank you once more, Roy. I always appreciate the opinion of poets whom I admire a lot. Sometimes, as with this poem, I am very lucky (or blessed) to sit down with an idea and write it out with little effort. Perhaps, in this case, it has something to do with cognizance of and grattitude for my American ancestry.
Thank you, Mr Crane!
I will be sharing your poignant and beautiful expession of the truth … thank you, again.
Thank you, Peg. May I have your last name so that I may look up your poetry?
A grand visionary poem, Roger, on the American brotherhood that develops from hope and faith and strength and grace. You don’t leave out the doubters and destroyers, but rightly indicate the good life is only achieved by passing through challenge and sacrifice, with a current call to “take up the song.”
How can I describe my delight and the encouragement it gives me to have you say this about my poem, Margaret? I really am blessed and I’m indebted to all the grand examples in my life and work. And to the One who let me be born here, the descendant of patriots, to that I could appreciate that this is my birthright. I think that had something to do with it.