Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Play Ball...

I stood there listening to the words of the song. Standing in a crowd next to my five year old. His arms dangling at his sides, his eyes focused. He stands motionless. I stand motionless.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light.

He has no idea of the words or their meanings. I wonder how many young people around me truly do.

What so proudly we hailled at the twiligth's last gleamning.

Next to us an old couple sings along. They know the words. They know the meanings. I see it in the way the sing. As if auditioning for American Idol. Two young boys in front of us watch them in amazement. Maybe they're amazed that the couple knows the words. Maybe they're amazed that old people actually sing.

What so proudly we hailled at the twilight's last gleaming.

He has no idea why we stand, or why we put our hands over our heart. His idea of freedom is sitting around in his underoos watching t.v all day. After all he's five.

My thoughts take me to being a parent. I wonder if I'm teaching them what really matters. You know the things that will mold them into being successful decent adults that people will be proud of. I want them to be better than I was, than I am. I want to teach them the things nobody taught me. I don't want them to have to learn the hard way. Life's to hard as it is.

And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air.

Hearing this song always makes me want to cry. Not because I'm a sap, but because it represents us. It represents my dad. My family. My friends. I want to sing at the top of my lungs but I refrain. Mostly because I can't carry a tune. But also because I don't want to embarass us. Maybe I am a sap.

And the home of the brave....

The calm is broken.

Play Ball...

J-Tony

Just Write

5 comments:

  1. During that song, I'm usually either a total sap, or watching and observing the people around me - the couple who sings, the children still yet unaware of the meanings, the few that don't remove their hats, the ones that go stoic... I think you should sing it out anyway, whether you can carry a tune or not :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. This song always makes me want to cry too. Same reason as yours. Great post.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love this narration...and the emotion behind it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great job man. I will, on occasion, get emotional when they sing the part about our flag still being there. Happy Father's Day.

    ReplyDelete