Patriotic Poems

Here you'll find free patriotic poems including Veterans Day poems, Memorial Day poems, an Armed Forces Day poem, Flag Day poems, a Fourth of July poem, military poems, patriotic songs, a Soldier's Prayer and general patriotic poetry. There is also an I Miss You poem, for those whose loved ones are in the military.

Freedom in America

Freedom in America
Isn't really free;
We often pay a price
To keep our liberty.

Remember those we loved,
Who fought for us, and died;
And those we never knew
For whom others mourned and cried.

At home our "war" for freedom
Is sadly overdue;
We've let corruption stage
A sad and grievous coup.

No longer can we brush off
Dishonesty and greed,
Lust for wealth and power;
We can't, we won't concede.

Complacency is weakness
Patriots can't afford;
We have to act on wrongs
That cannot be ignored.

We must give up some time,
Spent on other pleasures,
To restore America's freedom,
To keep America's treasures.

Money spent on trifles
Must now go to our cause:
Get rid of the offenders,
Constitutional outlaws.

Freedom in America
Isn't really free
It's up to American patriots;
It's up to you and me.

By Joanna Fuchs

This patriotic poem could be used as an Armed Forces Day poem.

Honor Our Military

Let's honor our military,
The men and women who serve,
Whose dedication to our country
Does not falter, halt or swerve.

Let's respect them for their courage;
They're ready to do what's right
To keep America safe,
So we can sleep better at night.

Let's support and defend our soldiers,
Whose hardships are brutal and cruel,
Whose discipline we can't imagine,
Who follow each order and rule.

Here's to those who choose to be warriors
And their helpers good and true;
They're fighting for American values;
They're fighting for me and you.

By Joanna Fuchs

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Patriotic poems can refer what's happening right now. The following patriotic poem, a rhyming poem, is geared to that. It's a patriotic verse with a patriotic message relevant to these times.

The Tyrants

The tyrants are on the loose again;
They hate all but their own.
They give their lives to kill us,
To scatter our blood and bone.

They care not whom they murder,
Whether woman, man or child;
Their minds are full of fury;
Their sickness has gone wild.

To rule the world with violence
Is their one and only goal;
Terror is their method;
They want complete control.

We've seen it all before,
And we could not let it be;
We gave our lives for freedom,
For the world, and for you and me.

We fight all forms of oppression,
Helping victims far and near,
To keep the world from chaos,
To protect what we hold dear.

America's the only country
That gives with its whole heart,
And asks so very little;
We always do our part.

So let's unite again
To subdue our newest foe,
Whatever we must do,
Wherever we must go.

Let's show the world once more
That America is blessed
With people who are heroes,
Who meet each and every test.

By Joanna Fuchs


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Patriotic poems can commemorate events in our history that should never be forgotten, as this free patriotic verse does. When people are looking for patriotic poems 9/11 often comes to mind. Such 9/11 poems remind us that we cannot let our guard down. Rhyming poems are very popular, so this patriotic message comes in a rhyming poem.

Where the Towers Stood

A burned-out crater lay in ruins for years,
While Americans, heartbroken, dried their tears,
A gaping maw where once twin towers stood,
A hole created by evil attacking good.

When terrorists bombed skyscrapers made of steel,
Americans struggled through a cruel ordeal.
Yet through this tragedy we found some good;
We found community and brotherhood.

Whenever a terrorist attack on us begins,
The American spirit rises, and always wins.
Our battle with these terrorists is not done;
Remember, nine-eleven, two thousand one.

By Joanna Fuchs

More Patriotic Poems: 
Click here to see another page
of patriotic poems.

Also see the patriotic prayer poem
A Prayer for America.


Veterans Day Poems

Patriotic poems should always include Veteran's Day poems. When you use our Veterans Day poems for greetings to veterans, for Veterans Day events, for printing on Veterans Day programs, etc., please be sure to include somewhere on the card or program "By Joanna Fuchs, www.poemsource.com." If you read them aloud and there is no program, no attribution is necessary.

Here is a patriotic poem honoring veterans. Veterans day poems should include all veterans, living and dead. This free Veterans Day poem could be used as a Veteran's Day message. It's a rhyming poem.

They Did Their Share

On Veteran's Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.

Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers;
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it's been many years;

In the jungle or the desert,
On land or on the sea,
They did whatever was assigned
To produce a victory.

Some came back; some didn't.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat; some rode a desk;
All of them did their share.

No matter what the duty,
For low pay and little glory,
These soldiers gave up normal lives,
For duties mundane and gory.

Let every veteran be honored;
Don't let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can't repay.

We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror,
So when we see a uniform,
Let's say "thank you" to every wearer.

By Joanna Fuchs

Click here to see
more Veterans Day Poems.

Patriotic Songs

Looking for patriotic songs? Well, the reason the meter is weird in this patriotic poem is because it is actually a free patriotic song, to the familiar tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, which is in the public domain. That's the one that starts "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored..." and the chorus is "Glory, glory hallelujah...his truth is marching on."

American flag with statue of liberty in front of patriotic poems page.

This patriotic song lyric could take its place among Tea Party songs, and you can find the free sheet music to it on the Internet. Just type into Google "battle hymn of the republic free public domain sheet music." This public domain sheet music may arrive yellowed or torn, because it's old, but it's free.

I give permission for you to sing, perform or use this patriotic verse, a patriotic message in a song, for non-commercial applications (not for money or anything of value), provided that you put beneath the lyric, each time and everywhere it is printed, the following attribution:

Lyric by Joanna Fuchs
www.poemsource.com

The American People Will

(To the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic)

When our government keeps growing
Past it's legal boundaries,
When our laws just hurt the people,
But officials live in ease,
If we cannot get our leaders
To protect our liberties,
The American people will.

Chorus:

We, the people, have to fix it,
When our country is in trouble.
Government declines to do it,
So the American people will.

When our taxes give us nightmares,
And the total makes us flinch,
When our businesses can't profit
'Cause the regulations pinch,
When we tell them it's not working
But they will not give an inch,
The American people will.

(Sing chorus again.)

Our country's going bankrupt;
Do you think they even care?
They're creating giant debt now,
Printing money from thin air.
They think no one can stop them,
But they'd better all beware;
The American people will.

(Sing chorus again.)

We'll restore the Constitution
Bring back power to the States,
Give the people back the money
Congress misappropriates.
For our drunk-with-power leaders,
Only joblessness awaits;
The American people will.

(Sing chorus again.)

By Joanna Fuchs

Patriotic poems can be made into patriotic songs. I wrote this patriotic poem specifically to a familiar public domain melody and made a patriotic verse into a patriotic song.

Golden Land of Liberty (A Song)
Melody from Beethoven's 9th Symphony, "Ode to Joy"
To listen to the melody, click here.
I think you'll really enjoy the Flash Mob street performance
of this familiar melody.

Founders' dream, America,
Our golden land of liberty;
Flag of stars and stripes inspires us
To remember we are free.
When we sing our national anthem,
Unity reins, and we are one.
While we're singing, hearts are ringing,
Time suspended till we're done.

Gleaming cities, farms abundant,
Meadows thick with country green,
Lofty mountains touching heaven,
Unknown forests still pristine.
Country full of vast resources,
Our USA fills every need.
Businesses to keep us thriving,
Everyone can still succeed.

USA is brotherhood,
Community and service, too.
Hearts unfold for those in need,
Unselfishness the world can view.
We have people who want to do good,
Honor, integrity and more.
Real love for our fellow man
Is something we have at our core.

We the people love our country,
Overcoming war and strife;
We will fight to keep our freedom,
Sacrificing blood and life.
Here's to heroes, bold and courageous,
Who led us all to victory.
Then we help the ones we fought,
And that's the way we'll always be.

Lord and father of mankind,
Please keep us safe with holy power.
May we be in Thy protection,
Every day and every hour.
We will pray to always obey You,
All that we have, it comes from You.
Giver of our rights and freedoms,
Your commands we will pursue.

By Joanna Fuchs

Patriotic poems can send supportive patriotic messages to those in the military. This patriotic poem is an I Miss You poem for spouses, sweethearts and parents of those who are serving in the military. This missing you poem would certainly be welcome for those who are far from home. If your loved one is not in combat, you could change "fighting" to "serving" in the last line. It's a rhyming poem.

I Miss You

I miss you in the morning,
I miss you late at night,
But I know what you are doing
Is good and just and right.

You're always in my thoughts;
I hope that you can see
I'm proud of you for serving
Our country, God, and me.

And when you're home again
I won't miss you anymore,
But I'll always admire your courage
For fighting in this war.

By Joanna Fuchs

Memorial Day Poems

This patriotic Memorial Day poem reminds us how much we owe to those who protect us.

Dark blue background with white text for patriotic Memorial Day Poem "The Ultimate Sacrifice."

The Ultimate Sacrifice:
A Memorial Day Poem

We set aside Memorial Day
Each and every year
To honor those who gave their lives
Defending what we hold dear.

In all the dark and deadly wars,
Their graves prove and remind us
Our brave Americans gave their all
To put danger far behind us.

They made the ultimate sacrifice
Fighting for the American way;
We admire them and respect them
On every Memorial Day.

By Joanna Fuchs
Poemsource.com

Any group of patriotic poems would not be complete without Memorial Day poems. Memorial Day honors those who have died in the service of their country, while Veteran's Day honors all those who served, whether alive or dead. This patriotic poem is about Memorial Day.

Patriotic verse can often bring tears. This Memorial Day poem, a tribute from a mother to her son, is among the most heart-wrenching of patriotic poems. Eyewitnesses to battlefield deaths testify that often that last thing soldiers say before dying is "Mommy, Mommy." Don't believe it? See this article.

Mommy, Mommy

The little boy falls; he's hurt, he cries.
"Mommy, Mommy!" he yells with a groan.
She kisses the pain away, and thinks,
"I love this boy, my baby, my own."

He grows to be a strapping man,
One of our strongest and our best.
He wants to be a soldier now;
His mother stifles her protest.

A mortal wound brings on his death,
And as he takes his final breath,
"Mommy, Mommy!" the soldier cries,
In the last few moments before he dies.

His mother sits and weeps today;
She cannot kiss this pain away.
All that's left is a cold gravestone,
As his mother cries, "My son, my own!"

Always her hero, now he's gone;
He's the country's hero from now on.
He chose to fight America's foe;
She loved him enough to let him go.

She's grateful for the love they had;
She wonders where the time has flown.
She hears his voice; she sees his smile;
"I love this boy, my baby, my own!"

By Joanna Fuchs

This patriotic poem is intended as a free verse Memorial Day poem, although it could be used as a general military poem or even a Veteran's Day poem, because of its patriotic message..

In Loving Memory

On every soldier's tombstone
should be a message of honor, respect and love:
"In loving memory
of one who loved his country,
who fought against evil
to preserve what is right and true and good.
In loving memory
of one who is a cut above the rest of us,
who had the surpassing courage,
the uncommon strength,
to do whatever had to be done,
persevering through hardship and pain.
In loving memory
of one who was brave enough
to give his life, his all,
so that those he cared about
would remain safe and free.
In loving memory
of a unique and treasured soldier
who will never be forgotten."

By Joanna Fuchs

This patriotic poem describes a touching scene in a graveyard. This patriotic verse can be used as a Memorial Day poem.

I'm Proud of You, My Son
(In free verse)

He stands in the gathering twilight
holding a small flag,
stooping, straining to read the name once again,
on one gravestone among many.
"My son, I'm proud of you," he whispers.

He journeys back in his mind
to a little boy chasing butterflies,
to a teenager laughing, waving,
as he drives away with friends,
to a young man solemnly imploring,
"Dad, I've got to go fight for my country."

"Goodbye," he said, shaking hands,
this newly-minted soldier in uniform,
whose honor and integrity demands
he follow those who went before
to preserve the values and freedoms
that made America great.

"I'll come home soon," he said,
but he didn't.
Now his father's fingertips
trace his name on cold polished granite,
as he whispers
"I'm proud of you, my son."

By Joanna Fuchs

Patriotic poem America's Roots on multicolor, pastel abstract background

This short patriotic poem looks at modern times with dismay.

America’s Roots

Americans are trying to save
The land of the free and the home of the brave.
Patriots are standing for what they believe,
While changes happening cause them to grieve.

Unless America returns to its roots
There’ll be nothing but chaos, decay, and disputes.

By Joanna Fuchs


Patriotic poems that are Memorial Day poems should always be complimentary. In the past, some veterans, living and deceased, have not been honored for their service the way they should have been. The decision to go to war and to stay in a war accrues to politicians, not to our men and women in the armed forces. This patriotic message in a Memorial Day poem about Vietnam veterans reminds us to thank those in uniform for what they did for our country.

The Wall of Regrets
(In free verse)

A wall of black granite in our nation's capital—
a recording of the names,
over 58,000 of the dead and missing,
and a memorial to those who survived,
a shiny, reflective, artistic and beautiful tribute—
commemorating our valiant soldiers
who fought for America's honor and freedom
in Vietnam.
But it's not enough.

While in service, these courageous men
endured unceasing vilification
in the media, in the streets,
for doing what their country asked of them.
Those blessed to make it through
came home to devastating humiliation,
spat upon, emotionally wounded
by unconscionable insults,
just for serving and protecting America.
Stress from war experiences
and from this horrific homecoming
produced countless suicides,
leaving families devastated as well.

How could this happen?
What were we thinking?
Are we too ill-informed to understand
that wars are created and sustained
by politicians,
not by soldiers who do the dirty work
and die in circumstances
we don't want to know about,
don't want to think about?

We can't erase history.
We shouldn't erase our regrets.
Let our guilt forever remind us
that we must never let it happen again.
Dear God, we repent for our callousness.
How can we atone?

The Wall is a noble, impressive effort,
but it's not enough.
Let us strive to honor our brave soldiers,
our strongest and best,
those who serve us in ways
we could never do ourselves.
Let us thank them for their service
at every opportunity
now and always.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

By Joanna Fuchs

Flag Day Poems

Patriotic poems can celebrate patriotic icons, such as the American flag. This patriotic poem is a Flag Day poem for Flag Day, which occurs in June.

Our Flag Flies High:
A Flag Day Poem

The U.S. flag is a symbol
Of what Americans treasure;
It represents the values
We cherish beyond measure.

Our flag flies high for freedom,
For legal equality,
For Constitutional rights,
And justice for you and me.

Our flag flies high for bravery,
The courage it takes to fight
And even give our lives
For what we know is right.

Our flag flies high for compassion;
We quickly help those in need;
When there's a need for service,
Americans take the lead.

The American flag is an icon,
Representing the American way;
Our hearts swell with emotion,
When we see it ripple and sway.

By Joanna Fuchs

Patriotic poems often mention our U.S. flag, "Old Glory." Here's another patriotic poem that could be used as a Flag Day poem.

Old Glory
(In free verse)

I am the most famous icon on earth,
on display all over the world...
standing guard at majestic official buildings,
in courtrooms, churches,
and even on the moon.
I fly from the houses
of families who revere America,
and snap in the breeze on parade.

I stand for freedom, honor, justice,
service, prosperity and power.
My stars and stripes—my red, white and blue,
evoke respect and admiration from the good,
apprehension and fear from the evil.

Sometimes soiled and tattered,
even bloodstained,
I survived the grinding toil of wars,
urging my weary warriors to fight on.
I lie precisely folded,
held by mothers of fallen soldiers
as their fingertips caress me
for comfort and strength.

I am invincible.
I have been burned, spat upon,
trampled and cursed,
but I overcome all
to unfurl, soar, and inspire again.
I am the Star Spangled Banner;
I am Old Glory;
I am the American Flag,
a symbol of freedom, forever.

By Joanna Fuchs

Independence Day/4th of July poem

Patriotic poems about Independence Day are popular. Joanna wrote this patriotic poem for a poetry contest in connection with the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. It took third place. It's a fourth of July poem. Or, it's a 4th of July poem, or July 4 poem, or Independence Day poem. Whatever you call it, the Fourth of July celebrates the U.S. Declaration of Independence from Great Britain.

Free In The USA

On the Fourth of July, I raised the flag,
As I spoke with love and pride:
"I'm blessed to be an American," I said,
To two friends who stood by my side.

One was my neighbor, who lives next door,
He's a citizen, like me.
The other, a visitor from a hard, oppressed land,
Far across the sea.

"My flag stays in its box this year,"
Said my neighbor, boiling mad.
"The terrible shape this country's in,
The future looks nothing but bad.

"Taxes, scandal, indifference and crime,
On our land like a giant stain."
My visitor said, "We have all that, and worse,
But it's against the law to complain."

My neighbor looked startled, but not subdued;
Then he started in on the Press:
"There's nothing but bad news; the headlines are bleak."
(It gets me down, too, I confess.)

"Our news is all good," said my visitor.
"It's just how you'd like to be.
We know what our government wants us to know;
Our press is controlled, you see."

My neighbor spun 'round and marched toward his house,
And here is the end to my story:
The next time we saw him, he was out in his yard,
Proudly raising Old Glory.

By Joanna Fuchs

A collection of patriotic poems often includes soldier poems. This patriotic poem is a military poem that beseeches God for help.

A Soldier's Prayer

Lord, wrap Your arms around me
In this hostile, brutal place;
Let me draw peace and comfort
From Your restful, sweet embrace.

Help me do my duty
To uphold what is right;
Give me strength and courage
Each day and every night.

Lord, hear this soldier's prayer
To You in heaven above;
Protect me with Your power,
And sustain me with Your love.

By Joanna Fuchs

Curious about the Christian religion? What is Christianity?
What is a Christian? What is Christian faith?
To see the answers and find out how to become a Christian,
check out this Web site.

Patriotic poems include war poems. Tens of thousands of people type the words War Poems into their search engine each month. I doubt they are looking for antiwar poems or peace poems, so I wrote this "war is necessary" war poem for them, in my collection of patriotic poems.

Make War, Not Love

Except for those who make the guns
And profit from each bomb and plane,
No one wants war; we all want peace.
"Bring them home!" people complain.

There are better ways to solve all this;
We'll get together and negotiate;
With diplomacy, we'll calm them down;
With loving hearts we'll end the hate.

But loving hearts don't understand
That demented tyrants want it all.
No talk, no love will change their minds.
Only war will cause their fall.

Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, too,
Total power was their goal.
Saddam Hussein, Amin, and more,
Ignored the talk, and gained control.

Despicable, depraved and more,
With viciousness, they kill their own.
So we send our soldiers off to hell
To keep freedom as our cornerstone.

Was 9/11 not enough
To show us just how far they'll go?
Will we acquiesce to terrorists,
These devils, the lowest of the low?

Reluctantly, we have to fight;
So while pundits chatter and discuss,
We'll use our might to take them out,
To keep the thugs from killing us.

By Joanna Fuchs

There are more than 1,000 poems at this site.
Always remember to check out our SITE MAP
to access all of our greeting card poems.

There is also a soldier Christmas poem
on the Christmas Poems page.

More Patriotic Poems: Click here to see
another page of patriotic poems.

Thanks for reading our patriotic poetry! These patriotic poems are free for use on personal greeting cards, provided that the author's name (Joanna Fuchs or Karl Fuchs) and our Web site address, www.poemsource.com, appear beneath the poem. (It can be small print; just so it's readable.) All other uses require permission. See our Terms of Use for details.


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