If you’ve ever read my columns, you’ll know that my favorite
poet is a dead poet by the name of Strickland W. Gillilan. I’ve posted some of his work in my weekly columns.
This past week I learned of a new website, www.loc.gov, where one can peruse the content of
any book in the Library of Congress in Washington. I used the occasion to look up the book of poems by Gillilan
titled Including Finnigin. In it
I ran across a poem I had never read before which reminded me of some of the
email messages that circulate today. And for that reason I decided to share
this column with some of you who do not usually see it.
The poem I am going to share was written over 100 years
ago. It might surprise you to learn
that we were fighting the same battles over politics and religion that long
ago. I know it surprised me. Nevertheless, here we have a prime example in a book
published circa 1908 of the same questions that trouble us today.
Read the poem first and then I’ll have some summary comments
about it.
So the controversy goes on, and though the subject changes
ever so slightly, the battle continues unabated. And yet… and yet, we still have mothers who teach “Now I Lay Me”
even after all these years.
I have a verse to add to that of the late Mr. Gillilan, and
I hope his soul will forgive me for my brash intrusion upon his genius. I only
want to bring his thoughts and words up to date in the Twenty-first Century.
Now the words are “under God” in the pledge we often say.
They were added many years ago, our
reverence God to pay.
We may wipe the slate; remove the words to take away His name,
But within the hearts of those of
faith God stays there all the same.
For the words are just the language to express what’s in the
heart,
And we need not write or say His
name to implore God not depart.
Though the critics seek to banish God through time—and time
again,
You cannot erase the spirit that
lives on in righteous men.
(My apologies to the women. You are included in the last
line, but it didn’t fit poetically)
Footnote: Is it any coincidence that the poem was inspired
by the actions of a group from Chicago? – Just musing here…
