Monday, December 25, 2017

The Battle of Trenton - a poem


Woke up early this morning, wrote this and edited it throughout the day between working and a couple of drives I had to take. 

On Christmas night they crossed the river
To march on New Jersey with a shiver
General Washington with stakes so high
Knowing that without a victory, the end was nigh

The Delaware was icy, the weather was too
He planned to cross when night was new
George bravely standing, leading the men,
Through the crossing in Colonel Glover’s command
Gates Sullivan Mercer also braving the storm
Along with the flag held by future President Monroe

Crossing over the river the entire army
Marching 8 miles through conditions icy
In the dead of night through exhaustion
No one knew who was next day’s misfortune

Colonel Rall and his well trained men,
Germans paid by the crown again and again
Proud professional soldiers, they thought themselves
Occupiers to us, in Trenton they dwelled

Early in the morning, the Hessians were stirring
Hung over from celebration or just another morning?
With powder wet, in charged America with steel bayonet
Plus a couple of cannons in tow, to drag through the snow
The army, to gaze onto which was a splendor
Did surprise and overwhelm the mercenaries who were forced to surrender

An army of less than 2 years existence
To win this battle without losing a man,
was certainly divine providence
and maybe also a great plan. 

- A Marc Tancer original

No comments:

Post a Comment