Ida Chicken
After I had attended lectures
At our Chautauqua, and studied French
For twenty years, committing the grammar
Almost by heart,
I thought I'd take a trip to Paris
To give my culture a final polish.
So I went to Peoria for a passport --
(Thomas Rhodes was on the train that morning.)
And there the clerk of the district Court
Made me swear to support and defend
The constitution -- yes, even me --
Who couldn't defend or support it at all!
And what do you think? That very morning
The Federal Judge, in the very next room
To the room where I took the oath,
Decided the constitution
Exempted Rhodes from paying taxes
For the water works of Spoon River!
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Jack McGuire
They would have lynched me
Had I not been secretly hurried away
To the jail at Peoria.
And yet I was going peacefully home,
Carrying my jug, a little drunk,
When Logan, the marshal, halted me,
Called me a drunken hound and shook me,
And, when I cursed him for it, struck me
With that Prohibition loaded cane --
All this before I shot him.
They would have hanged me except for this:
My lawyer, Kinsey Keene, was helping to land
Old Thomas Rhodes for wrecking the bank,
And the judge was a friend of Rhodes
And wanted him to escape,
And Kinsey offered to quit on Rhodes
For fourteen years for me.
And the bargain was made. I served my time
And learned to read and write.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Eugene Carman
Rhodes' slave! Selling shoes and gingham,
Flour and bacon, overalls, clothing, all day long
For fourteen hours a day for three hundred and thirteen days
For more than twenty years.
Saying "Yes'm" and "Yes, sir", and "Thank you"
A thousand times a day, and all for fifty dollars a month.
Living in this stinking room in the rattle-trap "Commercial."
And compelled to go to Sunday School, and to listen
To the Rev. Abner Peet one hundred and four times a year
For more than an hour at a time,
Because Thomas Rhodes ran the church
As well as the store and the bank.
So while I was tying my neck-tie that morning
I suddenly saw myself in the glass:
My hair all gray, my face like a sodden pie.
So I cursed and cursed: You damned old thing
You cowardly dog! You rotten pauper!
You Rhodes' slave! Till Roger Baughman
Thought I was having a fight with some one,
And looked through the transom just in time
To see me fall on the floor in a heap
From a broken vein in my head.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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We Almost Forgot
Should we try to avoid getting ourselves in a knot?
About the separatists in Quebec which we almost forgot,
Can we sit silent for another hundred years not knowing?
Or should we get some changes to the constitution going?
But the media moguls announce that everything is great,
Therefore there is no need to sit down and have this debate,
Is Trudeau’s Charter not enough to keep everything calm?
Is everyone getting excited instead of just going along?
Should we have recall and referendums in a new constitution?
Or would that add to what we already have – confusion?
Should we elect senators and those in the Supreme Court?
And who should we talk to for information and support?
poem by James Bredin
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Paris Morning
Paris in the morning-
The blushed morning sky
Touched the sidewalk. Paris
Loving itself through each
Passersbys’ footsteps
Brushing the orange marmalade sun
Through my hair,
Varnishing old age through my bones.
poem by Lisa Rhodes
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As Members of Congress, we swear an oath to uphold the United States Constitution. It means something to be an American because we believe in our country, we believe in our people, and we believe in our constitution.
quote by Todd Tiahrt
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I don't think the Constitution is studied almost anywhere, including law schools. In law schools, what they study is what the court said about the Constitution. They study the opinions. They don't study the Constitution itself.
quote by Robert Bork
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I rise in support of the separation of powers as established by our Founding Fathers in the Constitution. The Constitution clearly delegates the power to deal with criminal matters, like the use of drugs, to the States.
quote by Dana Rohrabacher
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I believe in an evolving Constitution. A flexible Constitution leaves room for us to consider not merely how the world once was, but how it ought to be.
quote by Eliot Spitzer
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Judge Selah Lively
Suppose you stood just five feet two,
And had worked your way as a grocery clerk,
Studying law by candle light
Until you became an attorney at law?
And then suppose through your diligence,
And regular church attendance,
You became attorney for Thomas Rhodes,
Collecting notes and mortgages,
And representing all the widows
In the Probate Court? And through it all
They jeered at your size, and laughed at your clothes
And your polished boots? And then suppose
You became the County Judge?
And Jefferson Howard and Kinsey Keene,
And Harmon Whitney, and all the giants
Who had sneered at you, were forced to stand
Before the bar and say "Your Honor" --
Well, don't you think it was natural
That I made it hard for them?
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Found In Our Treasured Constitution
Oh...
Today those enraged,
Have become engaged...
With those displaying their outrage.
As they publicly defend their craze.
With excuses made,
About their accepted way of life.
One that incenses the activation of division...
That spreads like a cancer,
To have no ending in sight.
Although they are responsible for conflicts incited,
Like children they are...
Denying they've started any fights.
And yet those who are observing the initiation of all of this...
Do not wish to admit,
They've been influenced by those given microphones...
To air their 'beefs',
That victimizes those innocent.
Oh...
Today those enraged,
Have become engaged...
With those displaying their outrage.
As they publicly defend their craze.
'We have the right to defend,
Any unrest that we begin.
And 'that' can be found in our treasured constitution.'
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Red, White And Blue
Red, White and Blue-these hues shall ne'er fleet,
Nor shall they who fiercely defend it, e'er retreat;
They champion Freedom, at any and all cost,
But for this precept, all hope would be lost!
Our Supreme Law, they swear to support and defend,
Against all, whether here or afar-upon this, we all depend;
Serve do they, with Honor, exhibiting Loyalty and Respect-
A lesson for all, ideas are these, which all should expect!
In any one generation,1 of 100 is their humble divide,
Yet, it is they who are the source of our extraordinary pride!
Honor them, with your heartfelt gratitude, whence ever
Acquaintance is made, in return, your defense, ever!
Consider them not upon celebration but for only a day,
Keep them always in your thoughts, allow not its sway!
Maurice Harris,20 October 2009
poem by Maurice Harris
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I am not a federal employee. I am a constitutional officer. My job is the Constitution of the United States, I am not a government employee. I am in the Constitution.
Constitution Visits
Things would be made much more explicit,
If those of leadership made constitution visits.
And saw and read and comprehend
What that doctrine says
To a nation of men and women!
No one needs to be Christian, Black or Jew
To uphold those rights for me or you!
No one needs to be Catholic, Baptist or 'Witness'
To live a life on this land that was not created for this!
Somehow somewhere someone thought of greed.
And represented the constitution for this purpose to feed!
Someone made it Christian and began to use a Bible.
Someone began making laws that from our constitution...
Was not viable!
We are fighting for the right to change thoughts of others,
When the understanding of what exists...
Has been twisted to make liable to stir up others' troubles!
Nothing that is done today,
Is from a constitution much abused that is reliable to use,
In the hands of those who choose it to confuse!
And where do the Puritans and Quakers fit in?
Believers and founders who arrived without documentation!
Things would be made much more explicit...
If those in roles of position,
Made a few more constitution visits!
Instead of surpressing realities in distress!
Creating not unity...
But a world in a conflicting mess!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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A federal judge did as he was supposed to do and upheld the Constitution. We should be thankful that we have judiciary that will do that.
quote by Michael Newdow
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Our Constitution’s Birthday
Our Constitution’s Birthday
(September 17,2008)
In the year, Seventeen eighty-seven
Those thirty-nine, changed our History
They signed that piece of parchment
The Laws of, the Land of the Free.
In more than two hundred twenty years
It has gone through a few changes
That’s not, an easy thing to get done
For, all of our lives, it rearranges.
The First through Tenth Amendments
Are known as our Bill of Rights
And many times, they were in danger
But, the People, usually won those fights.
Sometimes, those people in power
Try to change them, for their gain
Sometimes they will just ignore them
Like we’ve seen, time and again.
They are our only, real protection
With a high and terrible price to pay
If we don’t keep fighting for them
There’s some, would take them all away.
Other Amendments, Thirteen and Fifteen
Abolished Racial Suffrage and Slavery
Supposed to give promised Rights
To all of those promised, Liberty.
The Sixteenth, allowed for Income Tax
And as we know, it has many a flaw
Some say, that it was never Ratified
That, it was never made, a Legal Law.
The Eighteenth, Prohibition of Alcohol
Which was, another legal blunder
With organized crime borne of it
And, the Rule of Law torn, asunder.
The Nineteenth, said Women could Vote
After a very long, contentious fight
Just look at what those Ladies have done
Since, they got their, American Right.
Then, a Repeal of Prohibition
Came with the Twenty-first
In most places, booze flowed freely
To quench America’s, hearty thirst.
The Twenty-second said, Two Terms
Was, all a President could serve
But, as we know, for some, one
Was one more, than they deserved.
The Twenty-sixth said we could Vote
When reaching Eighteen years of age
Since they could fight and die for us
Every time, we had a War to wage.
Those great words of our Constitution
Have served our Country long, and well
Will they withstand the test of time
Or will History show, our Nation, fell?
If we don’t protect them with our life
If we bow to those powers that, be
If we let them twist those words around
One sad day, we’ll be no longer, Free.
We can’t let our precious Bill of Rights
Fail, to protect us all, as they must do
We can’t let one man, or group of men
Twist them into something, they construe.
Though, our Constitution is not perfect
Our Founding Fathers knew, this so
And, “In God We Trust”, is not enough
Our Freedom depends, on where, we go.
We must each, defend those Freedoms
From outside foes, and those, within
It’s, We, the People, wield the power
To lose this battle, which, we must, win.
So, On this Constitution Day
Let’s each, pay the price we owe
To uphold those words of Wisdom
Penned upon that parchment, long ago.
Del “Abe” Jones
09.16.2008
Progressivism is the cancer in America and it is eating our Constitution, and it was designed to eat the Constitution, to progress past the Constitution.
quote by Glenn Beck
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The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitimacy when it deals with judge-made constitutional law having little or no cognizable roots in the language or design of the Constitution.
quote by Byron White
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Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it.... While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.
quote by Learned Hand, jurist
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Woman In Love
Life is a moment in space
When the dream is gone
Its a lonelier place
I kiss the morning goodbye
But down inside you know we never know why
The road is narrow and long
When eyes meet eyes
And the feeling is strong
I turn away from the wall
I stumble and fall
But I give you it all
I am a woman in love
And Id do anything
To get you into my world
And hold you within
Its a right I defend
Over and over again
What do I do ?
With you eternally mine
In love there is no measure of time
They planned it all at the start
That you and I live in each others heart
We may be oceans away
You feel my love
I hear what you say
No truth is ever a lie
I stumble and fall
But I give you it all
I am a woman in love
And Id do anything
To get you into my world
And keep you within
Its a right I defend
Over and over again
What do I do ?
I am a woman in love
And Im talkin to you
I know how you feel
What a woman can do
Its a right I defend
Over and over again
I am a woman in love
And Id do anything
To get you into my world
And hold you within
Its a right I defend
Over and over again
What do I do ?
song performed by by Bee Gees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Portrait of a Friend
I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears. But I can listen to you, and together we will search for answers.
I can't change the past with all its heartache and pain, nor the future with its untild stories. But I can be there now when you need me to care.
I can't keep your feet from stumbling. I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine. Yet I can share in your laughter.
Your decisions in life are not mine to make nor to judge. I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.
I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship, from your values, from me. I can only pray for you, talk to you and wait for you.
I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you. But I can give you the room to change, room to grow, room to be yourself.
I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting. But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them back in place.
I can't tell you who you are. I can only love you and be your friend.
poem by Tiana Webb
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