PS 12 A Founder's Song 
                          Frederick of Holland, September XXVII 

I dreamed of an age when the weak were defended,
When lovers were true, and foefs were well-tended.
I thought that I found it, but now it seems ended,
So I guess I'll return to my dream.

Old Arthur of Britain he had a bold plan;
At the great Table Round none would be the first man,
And the duty of Knights was above kin or clan,
And this was the root of my dream.

I dreamed of that age and I found it, I thought,
Where honor and chivalry ne'er could be bought,
And princes and nobles each did as they ought,
And so I let go of my dream.

We frolicked and kissed and we played silly games
Of kingship and peerage and titles and names.
But the nobles and peasants had each equal claims
To making the real from the dream.

And some gave their labor and some gave their gold
To build a cathedral as in days of old.
Both of them equal; 'twas not bought or sold.
That rock was the foot of the dream.

And so it was built and it grew through the years,
Not all of them happy, there were a few tears.
But the great shouts of joy drowned out the few jeers.
The joy was the child of the dream.

But lately it seems that there are a few churls,
And some of them sadly are dukes, Kings and earls,
Who feel that their rank earns them nothing but pearls.
That never was part of our dream.

And others see power in office and ranks,
Tell others to do, and they measure their thanks.
To them it is just corporations and banks,
And these were not part of my dream.

And last there are those who would have it put forth
That gold, only gold, is the measure of worth;
That labor is not worth its sweat on the earth,
And cash is the king of the dream.

I dreamed of an age when the weak were defended,
When lovers were true, and foefs were well-tended.
I thought I had found it, but now it seems ended,
So I'll have to return to my dream.

But I don't want to leave what I've found in the light
And return to my dreaming in sweet darkest night.
I'd rather take blade and defend what is right;
This too, is a part of my dream.

I will find a few people who think as I do.
I know there is me and I'll count upon you.
And we'll build up our dream by the deeds that we do,
For to do is to make real the dream.

We shall gather together to sing and to feast
And to bow and to dance and to slice the roast beast.
And the greatest of us is as good as the least
In adding her share to the dream.

So let corporate folk try to make us behave
And the churls and the louts try to spoil our fine rave.
We'll tell them, "No thanks," then we'll dance on their grave
And we'll dance and we'll live in our dream.

For we dreamed of an age when the weak were defended
When lovers were true, and foefs were well-tended.
We found it, we'll keep it, and we won't see it ended!
We don't want to return to a dream.

We prefer "to be real", to "the dream."

© 2002 Frederick J. Hollander
Sing this often - sing it loud.