The Haven

Now upon the day full cus-ped, stand we with a daunting task,
Will our History be chan-ged into Grace or flapping door?
Should we vote for Lady Windsor or the man, who's filled with cash?
Turn we now upon the hinges, Hear we raven's cold implore,
"Do ye right or as your wishes? Sit on bust or fly the door?
"Hope was once, Is still there more?"

When we started as a nation, home of free and faithful lot,
There were challenges we fa-ced from ourselves and many bore
Would we stand on Truth as given by The Providence we knew?
Would our Self usurp His leading? Would our Will His Call ignore?
How could we be god in dealing? How could we our GOD ignore?
Many shames do fill our store...

For our hope in GOD we traversed o'er the teaming waves a-reeling,
When the unseen Lady Freedom met us by her open door,
Awful Winter stood there staring as we disembarked the lading,
Would we live to springtime flowers all upon this latest shore?
Could we find some springtime flowers, that we all would so adore?
What in future lay before?

Long time Majesty did harm us from his distant shores betraying,
How could we find hope and Freedom, stopping irksome king's full roar?
Fin'lly we did draw up paper, doffing hat to bid him flee us,
Mirth was all he then would gie us, said that we him should adore,
Long his awful ways and dealings bid us GOD to full implore!
We must always GOD implore!

"When in Course of Human dealings it becomes us necessary,
"Break the bands of man politic, taking station as before,
"Equal place which Laws of Nature and of Nature's Only GOD, He
"Tell we now the Truth in parting, We must live in peace once more!
"Hold we Truths to be self-knowing, that all men are equal score,
"All men are of equal score!"

Now, the course of our downfalling was this fault at nation's starting,
Did all men have equal places, full the honor of the floor?
When some races were still slavish to obey their master's bidding,
Could their Freedom have some standing, where could redress yet implore?
Then the nation's Civil Battle hoped the Truth to full restore,
"All men are of equal score!"

"Eighty-seven years behind us, fathers brought forth a new nation,
"Made in liberty and founded, thought all men are equal score,
"Now this Civil War is raging, asking whether nation tested,
"Nations so conceived and started, can long be on Hist'ry's floor?
"Meet we do on field of battle, dedicate this portion more,
"As a final rest of score..."

"Larger full the sense we can not consecrate this ground to hallow,
"Brave the men both dead and living, struggled here to honor more
"Than our power full to measure more or less what they were doing,
"World will little note, remember, what our words would say, implore,
"Never must forget what they did honored dead, who measure, pour,
"Freedom's birth through great new door!"

Standing there in New York harbor, Lady Liberty full glowing,
Bearing motto with some writing, Hope for those, who broach our shore.
"Give me tired, your poor and huddled masses yearning to breathe freely,
"Wretched refuse of shores teeming, Send me these and homeless more,
"Tempest-tossed upon my shoulder, Lift I do my lamplight's roar,
"Stand beside the golden door."

Fight we for the latest round of good or bad or better glowing,
Some do think the best is this way, others know 'twas that before,
Half for self and my thoughts only, Half for right on Truth they're standing,
Morrow comes and goes before us blazing light of Truth's best door,
"Ever singing, march we onward, victors 'mid the battle roar..."
"Joyful music, we adore!"

Now, upon this stunned transition can we keep the nation running,
With our hopes so newly taken can we hope again implore?
Will we find a way to heal this rift within our heart still beating?
Can we move to new heights gaining? Can we hope for what's in store?
Can we move yet forward truly, heal within and lead before
From our Home to ev'ry shore?

This great people, world's enigma, nation strong though many being,
One great flag thus binds together diff'rent souls upon this shore.
This United States is given opportunities for sharing,
Hope we do that all will listen, but we serve forevermore.
This new day new leader guiding may seem like a clo-sed door,
With new Hope we must explore!

Sing we all Amazing Grace now from the pen of slaver turning,
Yanked from storms of life tempestuous, that he limped through open door,
Sad for sins of past repented, sought to heal through daily doing,
Can a man so lately loathsome change to help the broken Core?
Is the country now so hardened none would help him to restore?
Would no one yet help restore?

Though did none of us vote for him, can he yet be good for leading?
There's no other option waiting, that we could yet bring ashore,
Donald Trump the vict'ry winning, gracious now to begin binding,
Hearts within this land divided, Hope upon this golden shore,
Great the work he must be starting, full confess and then restore,
Transformation is the door.

What of this historic meeting? Can there be from this no gaining?
Most our hearts were full preparing, greet a Lady through the door,
When the votes were fully counted, most the country for her voted,
But Elector's College failed to give her name the highest score,
"What of this is wrong?" we're asking. What of this we need explore?
How can we yet Hope implore?

Has the raven come a-flitting, sitting on our shoulders sitting,
Speaking in his endless cawing, there's no future nevermore?
Perched right there in eerie staring as though Hope were fin'lly fleeing,
What of now in this great nation? Are we bound by final score?
Raven comes when life is over, only for to carcass bore,
Stir we back to life once more?

Many are the things we chafe at, when it seems the day is ending,
Hope we find as we remember many the accounts of yore,
Washington was kneeing chilly in the winter so distressing,
For GOD's Help he full was praying with his heart he did implore,
Fog He sent at river's crossing, Victory was Freedom's store,
Victory was Freedom's store!

Raven perched upon the cross of Calvary as one hung dying,
Gleeful thought he sat there drooling, "Death has won forevermore!"
Boulder moved at bolder Living, Death at tomb laid morbid wheezing,
Christ, The One in Vict'ry standing, spoke with one by sycamore,
"Man caused death by his lone eating, I cause Life forevermore!
"I cause Life forevermore!"

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by Jay O’Toole
on November 8 & 9, 2016, Election Day & The Days After...