Hail, Columbia

It has indeed been a month since I posted anything, but don't believe that I wasn't thinking about Polly during that time. That's what showering and commuting are for, and as many of you know, I do some commuting.

A few weeks ago while singing in the shower, I began to wonder what John T and Polly's soundtrack might sound like. I don't mean what music would be played when my book gets made into a movie. I mean, when John T was walking a frontier path what tune did he like to sing to himself? What music was in Polly's head on laundry day? In short - what was the Top 40 of 1800?

Well, I'm no where near 40 tunes, but I did add two to my mp3 player as a result of this musing.

The first is "Hail, Columbia." Now really - did you know The Star Spangled Banner wasn't our national anthem until 1931? There was no official anthem until then. But, "Hail, Columbia" was a lead contender before that. It was written for George Washington's inauguration, and I'll be honest, it's no better than the one we have now.

Maybe I've just got an emotional connection to the SSB. I remember watching the 1996 Summer Olympics from my neighbor's house in the West Bank - and crying when our anthem was played. But I digress.

There is one verse of "Hail, Columbia" that I really like:

"Immortal patriots, rise once more,
Defend your rights, defend your shore!
Let no rude foe, with impious hand,
Let no rude foe, with impious hand,
Invade the shrine where sacred lies
Of toil and blood, the well-earned prize,
While off'ring peace, sincere and just,
In Heaven's we place a manly trust,
That truth and justice will prevail,
And every scheme of bondage fail."

And to think of some of the schemes of bondage we've let fly. And Polly? She faced her own sort of bondage. I don't think it was imposed on her. Like most of us - she forged it herself. She also found her own way out of it - like most of us have to do.

"Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find."

"Hail, Columbia" is Polly's song. She didn't have full membership - she couldn't join the band of brothers. But she knew what they were talking about, and she knew that freedom exacts a price. She just didn't know what it would cost until it came due.



Hail, Columbia on Wikipedia