Skip to main content

Concord Hymn

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set today a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

April 19th is Patriots' Day in Massachusetts (I note that some calendars say 9/11 is now Patriots' Day, but that's something altogether different). The April Patriots' Day holiday celebrates the Battles of Lexington and Concord that were the unofficial start of the American Revolution (the "Shot Heard Round the World." and the "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.") This poem by Emerson is about the Old North Bridge over the Concord River in Concord, Mass, and the monument set there. You can still see it today. The bridge has been restored to look like it did back in 1775 and the monument is on the other side as you approach. It is a lovely spot and a fitting place to think about the sacrifice of those patriots who fought for liberty (then and now).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stratfor - When Things Go Bad

I regularly read reports from Stratfor - an information service that comments on world affairs, terrorism and even personal safety.  This report is good reading to help anyone survive a bad situation. I thought it was worth repeating. When Things Go Bad By Scott Stewart Over the past several weeks, we [Stratfor] have discussed a number of different situations that can present a common problem to people caught up in them. First, we discussed how  domestic terrorism remains a persistent threat  in the United States, and that despite improvements in security measures since 2001,  soft targets still remain vulnerable to attack  by terrorist actors driven by a variety of motivations. Due to the devolution of the jihadist threat toward the grassroots, there is also a growing trend of jihadist actors using armed assaults instead of bombing attacks. We also discussed the  continuing problem of workplace violence , and finally, we discussed last week  evacuation plans for expatriates
1 comment
Read more

4 Planning Tips for Parents of Disabled Children

Buy enough life insurance . You can’t be replaced, but someone will have to fill in if you aren’t there. Your family will probably have to pay for some services that you used to provide. You can provide the money necessary, even if you don’t have much now, with life insurance. Set up a trust . Any assets left for a child with special needs, including life insurance proceeds, should be held in trust. Leaving money directly to someone with a special need jeopardizes public benefits. Some families disinherit children with special needs, relying on siblings to care for them. This approach is fraught with potential problems. The best approach is a trust fund set aside for the child with special needs. Write down the care plan . You must write down what a future caregiver will need to know about your special needs child. You may know everything but you need to write it down so it can be passed on. The memo or letter can be kept in the attorney's files or with the parent's estate plan
2 comments
Read more

It's really Spring!

It's clearly Spring around here.  On the way to work this morning I saw several groups of Turkeys.  In each group there was at least one male presenting his tail for the females.  This looks like the classic picture you see of a Turkey around Thanksgiving with his big tail unfurled like a peacock.  But, you won't see that in November, it is courting behavior used in the Spring to find a mate.  Imagine if we humans had some sort of mating system like that.  The males puff themselves up, furl out their tails and strut around waiting for a female to find them attractive ... that would be something  ... oh, wait! Three Turkeys at my Bird Feeder - April 2011 (C) Edward Adamsky, 2011
2 comments
Read more