A PATRIOTIC CREED
Reading edition
By Edgar A. Guest
To serve my country day by day At any humble post I may; To honor and respect her flag, To live the traits of which I brag; To be American in deed 5 As well as in my printed creed. To stand for truth and honest toil, To till my little patch of soil, And keep in mind the debt I owe To them who died that I might know 10 My country prosperous and free, And passed this heritage to me. I must always in trouble's hour Be guided by the men in power; For God and country I must live, 15 My best for God and country give; No act of mine that men may scan Must shame the name American. To do my best, and play my part, American in mind and heart; 20 To serve the flag and bravely stand To guard the glory of my land; To be American in deed,— God grant me strength to keep this creed.
(From Over Here, copyrighted by Reilly & Lee Co., Publishers. Reproduced by permission.)