***WARNING*** You are about to get a glimpse into the inter workings of my mind. Not for the faint of heart!

The other night I woke up about 4am to give my reply to the tea. As luck would have it so did Mary. After helping her to her chair I got her a pain pill. I then got a treat for the cat. Ok, this was too much. When I returned to bed my mind had already received too much stimulation. Like an old engine it turned over once, twice, trice. Roaring to life the words began. Then out of the blue my muse visited and started working. The Pledge of Allegiance started running over and over in my head. Little seeds of a poem begin. Words here and there. Then phrases. Then rewrites. In the mist of all this the poem started singing in my head. It started sounding like a country western song sung by Scotty from American Idol. The deep bass. The country drawl. It was not my voice. I thought my muse was female? Ok maybe I do sound a little like that. Only once before had a poem presented itself in the form of a song. So I worked the words over and over again. I thought I would remember it in the morning but I knew I wouldn’t. It’s happened before that I would be lying in bed trying to go to sleep when a phrase or word would present itself. From such a beginning a poem would appear. I would work it over and over in my head and it would sound great. To me at least. Then in the morning I could not recreate the poem. I would write it out but like a shadow in the night I could not put my arms around it. So this time I got up and starting writing. I just knew that if I didn’t let it out, it would not let me sleep until I did. It’s not great. It’s not even good. But Art is Art. Good is in the individual hearing or seeing. So I present to you my 4am poem.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I wondered what these words ment,
when I said them long ago.
Standing in that first grade class
with my hand upon my heart.
I grew to love this flag and pledge,
this nation under God.
So when my country needed me,
I vowed to do my part.
Now I lie here in this flag draped box,
I’ve made my sacrifice.
I pledge allegiance to this flag,
with my very life.
An now they fold the Flag I love,
that’s become my burial shroud.
I pray for this nation under God,
that I’ve done this country proud.
Pray this pledge is said each day,
in each and every class.
So students learn to love this flag,
this nation and our God.
To grow up proud upon this land,
with their hand upon their hearts.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag……