Eyes Fixed

A Poem By Joy Aletheia Stevens

He stood with his eyes fixed:

Though the battle raged and you could here the battle horns,

His proud uniform faded, his clothes raged and worn,

Although they were outnumbered surely the battle was lost.

Everyone had surely known that freedom had such a cost.

He stood with his eyes fixed:

A comrade fell beside him, fatal his wounds.

He knew the dream would not die or rest in a tomb.

The pipes might keep piping and the drums keep drumming,

His comrades might keep dyeing and the enemy keep coming:

He stood with his eyes fixed:

He cried, “Comrades don’t falter, courage my friends,

“The dream is not dead, this isn’t the end!

“The battles not over, we’ve only begun,

And pointing he said, “See! As long as she’s flying we’ve already won!”

He stood with his eyes fixed:

With all of their courage they charged one more time!

The battle was turning! They were breaking through the enemy’s lines!

The enemy retreating, it seemed they had won!

His head he was shaking, “No, we’ve only begun!”

He stood with his eyes fixed:

The battle, he knew, must be won in mans heart,

The dream was so much more then a nation, to start.

For the dream was a nation with God as its King!

Only after men understood this would they understand what America would truly be.

He stood with his eyes fixed.

Fixed on the star spangled banner.

He stood with his eyes fixed.

And thankfully prayed to a nations Savior.

~Joy Aletheia Stevens