In Honor of the Fourth

It is a holiday week - hooray! And while the 4th of July is not at the top of my holiday list (largely because I associate it with crowds, mosquito bites, and an underwhelmed feeling towards fireworks), I am admittedly a huge nerd when it comes to the history of American government. I am inspired by the ideals on which this country was founded and, while the Constitution is a work in progress, I believe that we are still progressing within the framework put forth more than two centuries ago. SB and I just recently finished watching the John Adams miniseries featuring Paul Giamatti. Not the best, but it had some exciting moments. Anyway, onto a poem that I discovered in an old book tonight that felt relevant to the holiday:

Of Old Sat Freedom on the Heights

BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

   Of old sat Freedom on the heights,

      The thunders breaking at her feet:

Above her shook the starry lights:

      She heard the torrents meet.

   There in her place she did rejoice,

      Self-gather'd in her prophet-mind,

But fragments of her mighty voice

      Came rolling on the wind.

   Then stept she down thro' town and field

      To mingle with the human race,

And part by part to men reveal'd

      The fulness of her face—

   Grave mother of majestic works,

      From her isle-altar gazing down,

Who, God-like, grasps the triple forks,

      And, King-like, wears the crown:

   Her open eyes desire the truth.

      The wisdom of a thousand years

Is in them. May perpetual youth

      Keep dry their light from tears;

   That her fair form may stand and shine,

      Make bright our days and light our dreams,

Turning to scorn with lips divine

      The falsehood of extremes!

On a lighter note - "Lady Liberty" as seen in Ghostbusters 2