
<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 26pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: rgb(84, 130, 53);">The Flower Of Liberty</span></b><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">by Oliver Wendell Holmes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">WHAT flower is this that greets the morn, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72);"><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Its hues from Heaven so freshly born? </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With burning star and flaming band </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It kindles all the sunset land: </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Oh tell us what its name may be,-- </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Is this the Flower of Liberty?</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It is the banner of the free, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(72, 72, 72);"><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The starry Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In savage Nature's far abode </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Its tender seed our fathers sowed; </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The storm-winds rocked its swelling bud, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Its opening leaves were streaked with blood, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Till lo! earth's tyrants shook to see </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The full-blown Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then hail the banner of the free, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The starry Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Behold its streaming rays unite, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">One mingling flood of braided light,-- </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The red that fires the Southern rose, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With spotless white from Northern snows, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And, spangled o'er its azure, see </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The sister Stars of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then hail the banner of the free, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The starry Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The blades of heroes fence it round, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Where'er it springs is holy ground; </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">From tower and dome its glories spread; </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It waves where lonely sentries tread; </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It makes the land as ocean free, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And plants an empire on the sea! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then hail the banner of the free, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The starry Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Thy sacred leaves, fair Freedom's flower, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Shall ever float on dome and tower, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To all their heavenly colors true, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In blackening frost or crimson dew,-- </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And God love us as we love thee, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Thrice holy Flower of Liberty! </span><br><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then hail the banner of the free, </span><br><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The starry FLOWER OF LIBERTY!</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br></div>————————————————-<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/">http://www.moscowcares.com/</a></div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</div><div>- Roy E. Stolworthy</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>