In a continuing cycle on America, we look at the Revolutionary War through England’s defeat at Yorktown:

A New Nation Born Pt I
by Michael Doyle

Let's have no sense of delusion
The united states were but illusion
Or, perhaps more of an aspired allusion
As we began in the tatters of confusion

From England's first offensive landing
The British on Staten Island were commanding
Against no great opposition but high flown words
They must have felt victory coming in a blur

America's military war though started at this offense
Becoming one of exhausting our foe through defense
This and allies such as France might bring exhaustion
And in so doing birth our fine American nation

George Washington rose to lead as our revolutionary
General while the people united under him with loyalty
His character and appearance before Congress one day
Was enough to have the certainty that he had come to stay

Washington accepted his position without pay
Asking only to lead where needed by his good say
He had been influenced by Cato of classic antiquity
And had not great pretentions, only his integrity

The first task at hand was that of forming his army
One that would be credible despite its fragility
This army would ebb and peak in its weakness and strength
Throughout all the days of the Revolution's length

In the war's worse winter of its ravaged discontent
Thomas Paine's words rang out in their Common Sense
Speaking on the American Crisis when summer soldiers
Needed the strong encouragement to remain bolder

Remembering the harder the triumph, the greater the glory
Has always been the thrust and truth of the American story
Without Paine's words we would have surely lost the revolution
America should be proud and thankful for his contributions

Christmas Eve brought Delaware's frigid night's crossing
Without which and despite much perhaps over glossing
The Hessians would not have been caught surprised at dawn
And America's hope might have at long last been still born

Three victories, particularly Saratoga case our best lot
As the French began our ancient alliance never to be forgot
This brought into the fray the might of the French Navy
That tilted the odds to being fought all the more evenly

Still, the bitterness of Valley Forge bore out in fragmentation
And once again challenged and nearly lost of will for our nation
Hard times came and hit as the freezing winter harshly bit
The American forces drilled under van Steuben and would not forget

Barely hanging on though, somehow our brave men got through
Surviving and thriving until the end at Yorktown, paying dues
The retreating British forces played "The World Turned Upside Down"
And the rag tag army at last defeated the strong British Crown

This had been a war of family against family quite simply
Splitting our young forming nation in thirds over loyalty
It was a war across the deepest fabric of our colonial society
Changes on all levels, not just the top, were its legacy

(c) March 24, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved