<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><a href="https://constitutingamerica.org/june-19-1865-juneteenth-commemoration-of-the-end-of-slavery-in-the-united-states-guest-essayist-noah-griffin/" title="Permanent Link: Juneteenth – A Poem By Noah Griffin" style="letter-spacing: 0.75pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 26pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Juneteenth</a><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>by Noah Griffin</div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">Juneteenth’s a celebration of Liberation Day<br>When word of emancipation reached Texas slaves they say.<br>In sorrow were we brought here to till a harvest land.<br>We live and died and fought here<br>‘Til freedom was at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">They tore apart our families<br>They stole life’s nascent breath.<br>Turned women into mammies<br>And worked our men to death.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">They shamed the very nation<br>Which fostered freedom’s birth<br>It died on the plantation<br>Denying man his worth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">But greed and misplaced honor<br>Brought crisis to a head<br>And Justice felt upon her<br>The weight of Union Dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">They fought to save a nation.<br>And yet they saved its soul<br>From moral condemnation<br>And made the country whole.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">But when the war was waning<br>And the battle was in doubt.<br>The soldiers were complaining<br>An many dropping out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">There seemed but one solution<br>Which might yet save the day.<br>Although its execution<br>Loomed several months away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">The Congress was divided.<br>The Cabinet as well.<br>Abe did his best to hide it.<br>And no one did he tell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">He meant to sign an order<br>To deal the South a blow.<br>The Mason Dixon border<br>And the Rebel states below<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">Would now have to contend with<br>The Freedman on their land.<br>For slavery had endeth<br>For woman, child and man.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">The time 18 and 63<br>The first day of the year.<br>But June of 65 would be<br>The time we would hold dear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">For that would be when Freedom’s thought<br>First saw full light of day.<br>And justified why men had fought<br>And died along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 24pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 49, 51);">Now every June we celebrate<br>What Lincoln had in mind<br>The day he did emancipate<br>The bonds of all mankind.</span></p></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.tomandrodna.com/moscowcares/">http://www.tomandrodna.com/moscowcares/</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></div></body></html>