The cause of Swami Vivekananda’s death on the 4th of July, 1902, has been long
debated as whether it was a deliberate act of will—through the Swami’s powers
of yoga, or took place because of his illness, aggravated by over-exertion.
One fact that might favor the former view is that the Swami wrote a poem in
praise of the 4th of July, on that date in 1898.
To The Fourth Of July
Behold, the dark clouds melt away,
That gathered thick at night, and hung
So like a gloomy pall above the earth!
Before thy magic touch, the world
Awakes. The birds in chorus sing.
The flowers raise their star-like crowns-
Dew-set, and wave thee welcome fair.
The lakes are opening wide in love
Their hundred thousand lotus-eyes
To welcome thee, with all their depth.
All hail to thee, thou Lord of Light!
A welcome new to thee, today,
O sun! today thou sheddest LIBERTY!
Bethink thee how the world did wait,
And search for thee, through time and clime.
Some gave up home and love of friends,
And went in quest of thee, self banished,
Through dreary oceans, through primeval forests,
Each step a struggle for their life or death;
Then came the day when work bore fruit,
And worship, love, and sacrifice,
Fulfilled, accepted, and complete.
Then thou, propitious, rose to shed
The light of FREEDOM on mankind.
Move on, O Lord, on thy resistless path!
Till thy high noon o’erspreads the world.
Till every land reflects thy light,
Till men and women, with uplifted head,
Behold their shackles broken, and
Know, in springing joy, their life renewed!
- Swami Vivekananda
My mother, who is in her 95th year, and by the Grace of God; in reasonably good
health and spirits; was born and brought up in the Great American Republic.
That fact allows me to possess dual citizenship, Canada & U.S.A.
In 1959, when I was 14 years old, my mother bought me some 45 RPM records for
Christmas; and among them was Connie Francis, singing "God Bless America"
(flip side of 'Among My Souvenirs').
So, even though we were living in Canada, our American origin was never forgotten.
