On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream,
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

. . . . . . Some Gave All . . . . . .

What is this thing that makes us go and do the things we must?
It's duty, honor, country, patriotism - true and just.
What is this splash of white I see o'er the hills of this great land?
It is the relics of our heritage and a past we hope to understand.

Listen to the drumbeat of history and you hear the sullen toll,
Of soldiers marching down through time and feel the honor of their role.
Marching to the cadence of a grand and glorious band,
The fate of civilization was held in the hollow of their hand.

They've stood in stilted, struggle against a scurrilous foe,
Some gave all – all gave some – that freedom we may know.
The freedoms that we take for granted and the liberty that is mine,
Has cost someone so dearly somewhere along the line.

We can hear the drone of bagpipes as they play "Amazing Grace",
And see the flag draped coffin as another takes his place.
They donned the yoke of duty, some shed blood in the sand,
Their memories are kept alive by a splash of white upon the land.

The splash of white is the headstones that stand in mute attest,
Mark the ground where they now lay and say they now have rest.
These are the sacred symbols of a hallowed ground so pure,
We must keep alive their memory and thus their cause endure.

. . . . . . Some Gave All . . . . . .

He was there at the first of things, he will be there at the last,
He has subdued the serpent and the scepter has been passed.
Living 'neath a canopy of virtue and grace,
And 'Death before Honor' is written on his face.

I am humbled by the courage of those who've stood the test,
And came through, though not unscathed, and we are truly blessed.
With him he carries the scars of the battles he has fought,
And he has paid a price so dear for the freedom he has sought.

Standing on the ramparts and holding fiend at bay,
This is a sacred ritual he lives from day to day.
He has been wreathed in hardship while standing in the gaps,
And has shown unshackled valor from reveille to taps.

. . . . . . The Meaning Of It All . . . . . .

So when you see the metals of the soldier passing by,
Take a moment to think of his story, of where he has been and why.
The ribbons tell a story of his service to our land,
That he has summoned up he courage to rise and take a stand.

They tell of someone and who has slept upon a jarring ground,
On rolling seas, in muddy fields, and chaos all around.
Flying o’er the battlefield or guarding home front shores,
Standing sentry on a wall. These all are daily chores.

They say he made the sacrifice and left the comforts of life,
And has been sprinkled with a suffering that comes with worldly strife.
They tell of sorrow, separation, and many other story,
But no true soldier ever wears them for his own personal glory.

Once you’ve borne the burden of service and answered duty’s call,
The change is forever, and you can now stand tall.
For those who have fought for it and the enemy once faced,
Freedom has a flavor the protected will never taste.