by Edgar Allen Guest (1881 – 1959)

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

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

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,

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;

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.

This poem is in the public domain.