Click photo for SLIDESHOW 

A TRIBUTE by David J. Wasserstein

O say can you see by the dawn's early light

What descended on Whitland all through the night?

It was coming along to the fourth of July,

And the spirits of all the citizens were high!

Another year and another day of celebration

To feast the independence of our nation.

The summer was in highest gear

For here was yet another year.

The weather too was playing its part

And entering fast into each one's heart.

The heat was lower than we could remember

It was not of July but rather November.

Humidity was there almost none

Despite the fierceness of the sun.

The preparations had all been made

A feast was made and also a parade.

They called the mayor - he said he would come

The band, the children too in sum

All Whitland every girl and boy

Made plans to feel enormous joy.

We went to bed on Wednesday the Third

The weather forecast none had heard.

But when we awoke on our sacred day

We thought we were going to have to pray

For during the night with all its might

Rain poured down and created a plight.

All was wet, few dared go out

To face the rain and sing and shout

To hail the day and dance along

To join our hands in feast and song.

We walked along our long straight street

With dampened heads and soaking feet,

And saw the folks of our festive Committee

And all we could feel inside was pity,

For they had worked for months on end

In order a message to all to send.

Yet for now the rain put a damper on all

All was washed out, we felt a pall.

But say, what comes but a mail from Denise!

We read it in fear, but we feel a release

The feast will go on! Rain cannot diminish us.

The feast will go on! The day is too serious.

A hurray along Whitland for all who so gave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Photos by Bob Duthie