OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE

Oh, say can you see
the homeless mother and her twin daughters
by the dawn’s early light,
trudging through the park toward the rescue mission
what so proudly we hailed
to stand in line for a supper of soup and bread
at the twilight’s last gleaming?
or going back to park where they hid their bedrolls
whose broad stripes and bright stars,
to huddle together under the pepper tree
through the perilous fight.
and hope for safe keeping through the night
O’er the ramparts we watched,
to rise to a new day and old dreams
were so gallantly streaming?
and going to school where other children come from houses
And the rockets’ red glare,
the teacher not knowing what to make of them
the bombs bursting in air,
and there not being anywhere else to go
gave proof thro’ the night
or anything else to do
that our flag was still there.
but go again at the end of the day to a free food kitchen
Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
before going back to the park for another night
O’er the land of the free
to get up again in the morning to empty hope.
and the home of the brave.