<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><span style="caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra Roman No 2"; font-size: 2.5rem; font-style: italic; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">A Nation's Strength</span><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>by William Ralph Emerson</div><div><br></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">What makes a nation's pillars high</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">And its foundations strong?</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">What makes it mighty to defy</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">The foes that round it throng?</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Go down in battle shock;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Not on abiding rock.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Is it the sword? Ask the red dust</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Of empires passed away;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">The blood has turned their stones to rust,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Their glory to decay.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Has seemed to nations sweet;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">But God has struck its luster down</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">In ashes at his feet.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Not gold but only men can make</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">A people great and strong;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Men who for truth and honor's sake</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Stand fast and suffer long.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(52, 52, 52); color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: "Poets Electra", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.600000381469727px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(30, 30, 30, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Brave men who work while others sleep,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">Who dare while others fly...</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">They build a nation's pillars deep</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="long-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -32px; margin-left: 32px; display: inline-block;">And lift them to the sky.</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><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.MoscowCares.net</span></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></div></body></html>