THE ALAMO
The leaves of the cottonwoods hung motionless
As outside the walls Santa Anna?s horde closed in.
A small band of Texans watched and waited
Preoccupied by combat and how life would end.
The battle raged from building to building
Till the old mission?s chapel was the last to fall.
Over 180 Texans died fighting to the man
Never to yield, surrender or crawl.
Six weeks later Sam Houston rallied his forces
With ?Remember the Alamo? as their battle cry.
Attacking and defeating Santa Anna?s army
To win independence for Texas or die.
The Spanish word for ?cottonwood? is ?Alamo?
The long time popular name for the mission.
Today the stout-walled old chapel still stands
Preserved as a shrine of sacrifice and tradition.
By Tom Zart
