Life is Sailing

“Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light…” These words were penned by Francis Scott Key at the end of a battle during the War of 1812 as he gazed toward Fort McHenry near Baltimore. White stars on a blue background, red and white stripes. A little less than one year ago, my family and I stood on that very fort gazing out on the Potapsco River where the ship was anchored from which Francis Scott Key scratched out the first verse of our well-known national anthem. The first newspaper to publish his poem was the Baltimore Patriot and Evening Advertiser. Click this link below to see a fascimile of the first newspaper printing: https://www.loc.gov/resource/music.musihas-100010479/?st=image&r=-4.49,1.384,9.979,5.312,0

Fort McHenry is part of the national park service and well worth visiting. Make sure to watch the video in the museum and remain seated for a spectactular, stirring finish! The tour guides are very informative as well. https://www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm

What great value are those who take to the pen and record, in verse or prose, events of history. Key composed words that inspire patriotism to this day and remind us of the hard-fought battles to build and defend this great nation. Happy Independence Day, America!