Berton Braley’s Daily Poem

A poem from The Sheridan Post, July 3, 1921.

There’s a Reason

Simply a wonderful day for a trip,

Come, let us flee from our humdrum community

Let’s give our work and our worries the slip;

Now is the season for folly and frolicking

As we go wandering under the sky

Given good weather we’ll make th is a rollicking

Fourth of July!

FOURTH OF JULY! It’s a sport day splendiferous

Given to golf, tennis, baseball; oh hark,

Hark to the yells of the rooters vociferous

Cheering for victory out at the park!

Then think of miles that the cars are unraveling

As though the hills and the hollows they fly.

Yes, it’s a beautiful chance to go traveling,

Fourth of July!

FOURTH OF JULY – and the swimming is glorious,

Riverside, seaside or glimmering lake

Echo with shrieks and with laughter uproarious

Tumult and shouting that multitudes make;

Jazz bands are playing their tunes syncopatedly

Dancers go merrily fox-trotting by

Joy holds the scepter and reigns unabatedly,

Fourth of July!

FOURTH OF JULY – in the midst of our pleasuring

Somehow the date seems to bring to my mind

Some sort of memory we should be treasuring

Something or other our ancestors signed!

Wasn’t it freedom our forefathers sought for us?

Didn’t they fight for it? Isn’t that why

We have the liberty their hands have wrought for us,

Fourth of July!

YES, as we make this a glad and a jolly day

Let’s give a thought to those brave souls and high

Who were the cause of our having a holiday?

Fourth of July!