1 poem and it is "British Freedom." From prehistoric times down to the present day Britain has held an equal footing with other nations, and has managed so far to be the most powerful in the world. At various stages in our country's History, has this heritage of hers been threatened with destruction, but Britain freed herself from the yoke of Foreign Powers and thus gained the mastery and extended her rule to all ends of the earth. This great and gallant reputation which Britain holds throughout the world may be based on the grit and independence displayed in the conduct and achievement of her sons and daughters in every quarter of the globe; for it has often been remarked that the British race is to be found scattered throughout the whole world, at the head of some important business or else shaping in that direction. Several reasons may be put forward for their success. In the first place our race has never been afraid of work and could put their fit backs into it, careless of the danger which loomed ahead ! never owning themselves beaten even in circumstances the most discouraging and always having some goal in front of them. Could the broken sword now tarnished and rusty, but speak, what a tale of bloodshed & violence it could tell. Long and dreary nights fighting against a foreign enemy, but having as a result victory with freedom in its train. On this great subject many poets have sung including Cowper who says :- "Slaves cannot breathe in England if their lungs receive our air, that moment they are free. They touch our country and their shackles fall." Before the war we enjoyed the fruits of freedom to a very large extent, but for these blessings we were not at all thankful - taking them as our rights and nothing more. Then in one fell swoop they were reft from us. We almost lost our freedom and in its place knew fear. We learned how long nights haunted by unknown terrors can be, and how anxious and waking hours are also. And now when those everyday blessings have come back to us, are we as grateful as we ought to be ? Great changes have taken place - changes which have been accentuated by the war and its aftermath and we no longer find people so anxious to uphold the honour of their country as they were in years gone by. But let us hope that a new era will dawn, - an era in which this blight will be lifted from our national life, and we will be able to lift up our heads with the old pride. It was written by Jessie Davidson.