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New Yorkers

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Americans are quick to forget (or embarrassed to remember) that there were whole cities loyal to the British Crown during the War of Independence.

 

They fled from the murrain that fell on East Ham

By Plymouth and Boston they brought us

And on to this place they called New Amsterdam

To sire we grandsons and daughters.

 

We’re sons of our forefathers, sons of this land

Good settlers they now try to banish

Not Albion’s enemy with whom they stand –

Their allies, the French and the Spanish.

 

They pressed us to fight against kith and our kin

But what would have victory bought us?

A cheap independence so pyrrhic and thin

And the blood of those brothers who fought us.

 

But whether his crown be of gold or of thorn

Or whether his crown be of laurel

As subjects of his in America-born

With country or King we’ve no quarrel.

 

So damn all the rebels of Washington’s crew

Who sit in that treacherous caucus

They may speak for Boston and Baltimore too

We’re loyal to King George; we’re New Yorkers.

◄ Hic Haec Hoc Hunc Hanc Hoc

I Hate Your Bastard Dog ►

Comments

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John Embley

Tue 23rd Aug 2011 09:29

John, you're a mine of fascinating information and little-known facts with a nice way of putting them across.
I'll never stop wondering what new stuff I'm going to learn, even at my age!

Philipos

Tue 23rd Aug 2011 08:30

Hi John, have just finished reading a big tome on this subject and was surprised that there would not have been a British Empire as we know it had it not been for this war and the one that followed on called the American war, which spurred us into Canada, Oz, Jamaica, Bahamas etc.

Your poem reminds of those times in depth and it always surprises me that in spite of their independence how the yanks in general love our Royals, strange eh?

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Dave Bradley

Tue 23rd Aug 2011 07:44

Fascinating - nice one John.

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Francine

Tue 23rd Aug 2011 03:25

I enjoyed reading this... Thanks for the history lesson ; )

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