Kids of the Homefront Army: Patriotic Duty

There is one front and one battle where everyone in the United States—every man, woman, and child—is in action and will be privileged to remain in action throughout this war. That front is right here at home, in our daily lives and in our daily tasks. Here at home everyone will have the privilege of making whatever self-denial is necessary, not only to supply our fighting men, but to keep the economic structure of our country fortified and secure during the war and after the war.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio broadcast to the nation, April 28, 1942

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Patriotic Duty

Ray

PATRIOTIC DUTY

What a lecture I got
from Miss Lyles
when I said I couldn’t
stand readin' all the time.

It’s your patriotic duty to read!

In short order, she
told me about the Nazis
burnin' books,
and the Japanese doin' it, too.

You’re free to read anything you want!

I don’t wanna read anythin',
I said under my breath.
But she heard and now
I’m havin' to read Moby Dick.

I guess you can call me a patriot.

3 comments:

I'm Jet . . . said...: Good one!; August 30, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Anonymous said...: Interesting. Made me think about all the books that are banned in the US today…; September 4, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Diane Mayr said...: Hi Natalie! We need to be ever vigilant regarding book challenges. They happen all the time, but happily, most are defeated. ALA Banned Books Week is coming up--September 24 through October 1.; September 5, 2011 at 9:51 AM