I remember

Can or will you?

I remember what it was before,

I recall what was once writ,

A clarion call to be exemplary,

Now replaced by what?

A transfer of responsibility,

A rejection of the praiseworthy,

Their triumph is complete,

For none remember,

What was before.

Reviews

[Austin H.]

It is always shaming to be grouped in with my countrymen in these regards. The fact is that American splendor has removed the need for proper knowledge on our own history. It's not as if we have had millennia to take into account. To most Americans, our nation began with the Declaration of Independence. To the rest, it begins when the first man to walk its fields did so.
I believe that the current motto probably came into place as a response to "godless communism", as our leaders were so fond of terming it.

And yet, I feel I must say this. America was formed by the wealthy, Christian landowners and has continued to be run by them. However, their quality has oh so degraded to the point of believing not in the "one for all" but the "all for one."

[Marie]

I knew that the motto was not always thus. You've done well to recall it. Religion has no part in government.

[Wolfhilde]

Short and wonderfull! Powerfull poem! I love this very much.

[dontwakeme]

short, yet powerful...beautiful and creative with a nice flow and an important message...very good job

[ghost writer]

some of the most educated people are cretins..your poem holds some weight for its brevity.

[Penlady]

What does 'Annuit Coeptis" and 'Novus Ordo Seclorum' mean?
Many speak about which they know nothing. You are correct about U.S citizens knowing little about their history. Instead of criticizing, we all need to bring each other up to the other's knowledge if they are more in tuned or well versed on a subject. I think we should learn something each day, and from every experience and every person we encounter.
An abundance of meaning in only two verses.

[JillieBeene]

I couldn't agree more

[Gheeneil]

Whatever was in the past could never be taken to the present or future. Change would always interfere along the way, constantly modifying a practice until it would become exactly different, worst if, it'd become the opposite. If this were not true for all, perhaps for most.

[MOON]

Too often we throw the baby out with the bathwater. Mediocrity seems the order of the day.

[Chris Yip]

Thanks so much for this short but poignant poem about the 'Now' generation who are brash, impatient, too ambitious, irresponsible, highly competitive, selfish, immature with 'attitude' and many others to say the least. So different from the older generations of idealism, selflessness, responsibility, humility, sporting nature, brotherly love, patience and so on and so forth. So much said in just a few lines. Very well thought out.