God and Country
Would you die for your country
For your faith in your God
Would you pledge allegiance
That truth be not scarred
Did you learn of these virtues
As a youth duly schooled
Trained to chant catechisms
Expected of fools
Will you forge craven mettle
Do you cry from your fear
Is your selfish moment
More than all we hold dear
In the depths of your being
At the core of your heart
Can you not find the courage
Are your gifts all for nought
Can you live as a servant,
A brother to all
Will you fight for the triumph of truth
Lest we fall
Are not heroes and martyrs
Made saints for love’s sake
Are not mansions in Heaven
The glories at stake
Don’t you yet know that freedom,
Peace, eternal reward
Mean allegiance to country
And faith in your God
How am I challenged?
Cast away cheating wonder
Save your own soul my brother
Choose! Virtue or blunder?
Pray, pledge ye a champion
For all to applaud
Won’t you die for your country
For your faith in your God
Copyright © 2004 by Marc E. Brodeur
For your faith in your God
Would you pledge allegiance
That truth be not scarred
Did you learn of these virtues
As a youth duly schooled
Trained to chant catechisms
Expected of fools
Will you forge craven mettle
Do you cry from your fear
Is your selfish moment
More than all we hold dear
In the depths of your being
At the core of your heart
Can you not find the courage
Are your gifts all for nought
Can you live as a servant,
A brother to all
Will you fight for the triumph of truth
Lest we fall
Are not heroes and martyrs
Made saints for love’s sake
Are not mansions in Heaven
The glories at stake
Don’t you yet know that freedom,
Peace, eternal reward
Mean allegiance to country
And faith in your God
How am I challenged?
Cast away cheating wonder
Save your own soul my brother
Choose! Virtue or blunder?
Pray, pledge ye a champion
For all to applaud
Won’t you die for your country
For your faith in your God
Copyright © 2004 by Marc E. Brodeur
I know, I know! The fun of reading poetry is discovering your own insights into the author's ideas. Still, lest my moral convictions be forever ruinously indicted, I'd like to set the record straight on what I was thinking regarding a few of the lines.
ReplyDeleteMarc Ernest Brodeur, chickenpoet. C'est la vie!
I was remembering how two moral concepts, loyalty and service to my country and dedication to God and the Catholic Church, were so strongly inculcated during my early years at St. Anne School. It caused me to realize why the constitutional precept of separation of church and state, a dubious interpretation of the First Amendment, evokes such an allergic reaction in me. My country in a sense is "my mother" as much as God is my "father." In my conscience they are inseparable. But, is my dedication to God and Country a result of early brainwashing, the American Catholic equivalent of the "Hilter Youth effect" ? Or, have I indeed developed an informed conscience and sense of right, wrong, morality, loyalty, faith, etc., with which to freely regulate my behavior? For the record, I choose to believe that I am indeed gifted with free will and that I do freely exercise it. If I am cognizant enough to ask the question then I am not intellectually free to choose my path? ("Cognito, ergo, sum." I think, therefore, I am.") But, this entire dilemma of philosophocal issues needs examination.
[Phew! I sure am throwing around some big words and lofty ideas for a poor 2nd generation French Canuck American from Fall River. Am I full of myself (or full of something else) or what?]
"youth duly schooled"
Are we not indoctinated with the "morally correct" answers during our formation in school, i.e., provided with an informed conscience by an infallible moral authority? Would you deny Christ as Peter did? Would you denounce God to be spared the sword? Would you betray your country to save your life? Are you Benedict Arnold or Nathan Hale? Catholic school certainly had it's scary days!
Yet, in spite of the brainwashing, (oops! er ... ummm... I mean "formation") do we not have a free will? Can we not find our courage in our own conscience? Can we choose the righteous path, not because it is the expected and proclaimed "morally correct" response, but because we know it is the way of truth?
"are your gifts all for nought"
In addition to "free will", consider the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:
All powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you freed your sons and daughters from sin
And gave them new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon them
to be their helper and guide.
Give them the spirit of [I] wisdom and [2] understanding,
the spirit of [3] right judgment and [4] courage,
the spirit of [5] knowledge and [6] reverence.
Fill them with the spirit of [7] wonder and awe in your presence.
(Catholic Rite of Confirmation)
"how am I challenged"
"cast away cheating wonder"
The reader may be thinking, "How dare you ask me this. What about you? Would you die for God and country?"
True, I must face myself and find my own response. What do you suppose inspired me to write the poem? Nevertheless, do not turn my challenge back on me to evade the question. Save your own soul, brother!