250th Anniversary of the United States ~ Declaration of Independence - A Vision in Praise

A Vision in Praise

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America"

"WHEN in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of man- kind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

And so OUR FOREFATHERS  stood firm:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

"The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

In Righteousness our Forefathers stood firm

a calling forth, a petition, for all to discern

testimony, accusations, abuses, real

all brought forth, no longer to conceal

TRUTH in its expression, revelation shown

the voices of TRUTH were then openly known

we are a people who define freedom within a righteous soul

let us hold sacred, life in its blessed expression and goal

our BEING, our Freedoms, blessings held in GOD's loving grace

all be known within our light, the light in heart we place

A DECLARATION our Forefathers in confidence drew

Our 250th Anniversary, in reverent celebration onto YOU.

Respectfully,

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York