<html><head></head><body><div class="ydp28d2bc8eyahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><div></div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Thank you for sharing this! Transcendent!</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Lee</div><div><br></div>
</div><div id="ydp52de52a9yahoo_quoted_2281046851" class="ydp52de52a9yahoo_quoted"><div class="ydp52de52a9yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:arial;font-size:16px;">
<div style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:#26282a;">
<div>----- Forwarded Message -----</div>
<div class="ydp52de52a9quoted-text-header"><b>From:</b> Susan via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org></div><div class="ydp52de52a9quoted-text-header"><b>To:</b> "thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org" <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org></div><div class="ydp52de52a9quoted-text-header"><b>Cc:</b> Susan <susanm@mcn.org></div><div class="ydp52de52a9quoted-text-header"><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, July 5, 2025, 10:37:45 AM PDT</div><div class="ydp52de52a9quoted-text-header"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Thespiritexpress] 4th of July Poem</div>
</div><div style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:#26282a;border-left: 1px solid #ccc;padding-left: 8px;margin: 0px 0px 0px 8px" class="ydp52de52a9inline_reply_quote_container" data-split-quote-node="true">
<div><br></div>
<div><div id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092"><div>Thanks Ron…Exactly!<div>Susan<br clear="none" id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><div id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqtfd71439" class="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqt8252334766"><br clear="none"><blockquote type="cite">On Jul 5, 2025, at 9:57 AM, Riantee Rand via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org> wrote:<br clear="none"><br clear="none"></blockquote></div></div><div id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqtfd64043" class="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqt8252334766"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"></div></blockquote></div></div></div><div id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqtfd01722" class="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092yqt8252334766"><div>Yes! Yes! Yes!<div>Thank you so much.</div><div>R<br clear="none" id="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br clear="none"><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Jul 5, 2025, at 07:57, Ron Nadeau via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org> wrote:</div><br clear="none" class="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092Apple-interchange-newline"><div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align:center;"><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:16px;">Enjoy this </span><font size="3">Weekend</font></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;"><font size="3">~We live in a beautiful part of the world ~ a lot of Blessings being counted...</font></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;"><font size="3">w/Love</font></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;"><font size="3"><br clear="none"></font></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;"><font size="3"><br clear="none"></font></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">~This poem came through on my morning feed:</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br clear="none"></span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br clear="none"></span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><b>Pledge </b></span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br clear="none"></span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Today is Independence Day. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Tomorrow will also be Independence Day. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I wave the banner of the present moment.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to no flag, no nation. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to no tribe or party.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to no bombs bursting in air.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to silence and a day of prayer.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Patriotism is rebellion. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Rebellion is joy.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Cast down the mighty, the masters of war.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the poor.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the boy I used to be. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">The girl you were, the boy in the girl and the girl in the</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">boy before wholeness was shattered by</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">our education.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to hemp and sod.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the unnamed God,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">to the moon and the tide, to sun and</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">wind and what I cannot know,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">to a light that contains all colors, to the rainbow.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to no belief</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">but an heirloom tomato seed,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">a living coral reef,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">the wisdom in a weed.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">when the fireworks last too long after</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">midnight and sulfur lingers in the air.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the huddled deer,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">the stray dog in the street, </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">the shivering sparrow in a bush,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">the veteran cringing in the heat of his</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">most ancient fear.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I don't need more bombs.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I need to hear the gentle bursting of</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">peonies in my garden.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">To notice the sun set here as it rises over Gaza.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">To greet who ever I see with a breath of peace.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">They don't even need to know,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">something in my chest will melt away the</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">borders of every nation.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Now take off your shoes.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Go slow.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Don't burn the flag.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Unravel its thread.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">We hunger for a common bread.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">With all my relations gathered at birth,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the earth,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">the infant curled in mother's sea of</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">trust.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance to the dust. </span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">To all winged and swimming things, to creatures</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">that crawl or come out at night.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">Brothers, sisters, four-legged and two,</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">to you.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">I pledge allegiance</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;">to you.</span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br clear="none"></span></div><div style="text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;" class="ydp52de52a9yiv4685043092Apple-tab-span"> </span>- Alfred Lamotte</span></div><span></span><div style="text-align:center;font-size:16px;">______________________</div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br clear="none">Thespiritexpress mailing list<br clear="none">Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org<br clear="none">https://lists.mcn.org/mailman/listinfo/thespiritexpress<br clear="none"><br clear="none"><span>_______________________________________________</span><br clear="none"><span>Thespiritexpress mailing list</span><br clear="none"><span>Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org</span><br clear="none"><span>https://lists.mcn.org/mailman/listinfo/thespiritexpress</span><br clear="none"></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>Thespiritexpress mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org</a><br><a href="https://lists.mcn.org/mailman/listinfo/thespiritexpress" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lists.mcn.org/mailman/listinfo/thespiritexpress</a><br></div>
</div>
</div></div></body></html>