Charge of the Free State Brigade

NOTE: The opinions and commentary expressed in this essay are those of the author and are an exercise of free speech. They do not necessarily represent the views of Free State Project Inc., its Directors, its Officers, or its Participants.

Twenty-K, twenty-K,
Twenty-K signers,
All in the valley of question
Rode the five thousand.
'Forward the Free State Brigade!
Search for the answer!' Sorens said:
Into the valley of question
Rode the five thousand.

'Forward the Free State Brigade!
Let no one here be dismay'd.
Because everyone knew
They have not blunder'd:
Their's was to make reply,
And to smartly reason why,
Their's but to do, NOT die
Into the valley of question
Rode the five thousand.

Reps to right of them,
Dems to left of them,
Staters in front of them
Scream'd and shout'd;
Shriek'd at with hoop and yell,
Boldly they thought and well,
Away from the jaws of bondage,
Away from the state of hell
Rode the five thousand.

Flash'd all their insights bare,
Flash'd with a savoir-faire
Q.E.D.ing the fascists there,
Changing a land, while
All the world wonder'd:
Founding fathers did invoke,
Saving all the sheeple folk.
Lefties and righties
Reel'd from the truth spoke,
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the five thousand.

Reps to right of them,
Dems to left of them,
Staters in front of them
Scream'd and shout'd;
Shriek'd at with hoop and yell,
While pol and hack fell,
The ranks began to swell
Came thro' the jaws of bondage,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that had joined them,
Joined the five thousand.

When will the history fade?
On how the plan was made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honor the change they made!
Honor the Free State Brigade,
Now noble twenty thousand!

With apologies and great humble thanks to Alfred, Lord Tennyson for creating the real thing.