[Verse 1]

In the dawn of a nation, born in seventy-nine,
On Maryland’s soil, where the free winds align,
Francis Scott Key, from a family of might,
Grew strong in the law, in the pursuit of what’s right.
Educated in Annapolis, sharp as a blade,
He wed Polly Lloyd, and a family they made.
A lawyer of honor, in courts he would stand,
Defending the just across this great land.

[Verse 2]

Through the War of Eighteen-Twelve, though he opposed the fight,
He served with his heart, in the Georgetown light.
A mission of mercy, to free Doctor Beanes,
From British captivity, amid war’s cruel scenes.
Detained on a ship, in Baltimore’s bay,
He watched the bombardment through night into day.
The rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Yet hope held its ground in the flag waving there.

[Chorus]

Oh, say can you see, by dawn’s early light,
What Francis bestowed in that fateful night?
A song for the free, for the brave and the bold,
Upholding our republic, in stories retold.
Freedom and liberty, independence we claim,
In the Star-Spangled Banner, forever his name.
For our country’s great spirit, unyielding and grand,
We honor Key’s legacy, across this free land.

[

Verse 3]

At break of the morn, through the perilous fight,
The banner still flew in the early light.
Inspired by resilience, by freedom’s pure flame,
He penned words of triumph, igniting the name.
“Defence of Fort McHenry,” a poem so grand,
Set to an old tune, it swept through the land.
The Star-Spangled Banner, a symbol so true,
Of liberty’s call, in red, white, and blue.

[Verse 4]

His gift to the republic, this anthem we sing,
A reminder of valor, where freedoms take wing.
Through trials and tempests, our nation’s proud story,
Of independence won, in enduring glory.
He championed the cause, in law and in verse,
For a union unbreakable, through better or worse.
To Americans all, it’s a beacon so bright,
Of liberty’s promise, in the land of the right.

[Chorus]

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What Francis bestowed in that fateful night?
A song for the free, for the brave and the bold,
Upholding our republic, in stories retold.
Freedom and liberty, independence we claim,
In the Star-Spangled Banner, forever his name.
For our country’s great spirit, unyielding and grand,
We honor Key’s legacy, across this free land.

Copyright October 13, 2025, by Stephen Craig Whitley – All Rights Reserved