Patriotism is not a road show. In this country, city by city and town by town, it's always been much more of a cemetery exercise honoring those who have stood and "shall stand between their loved ones and the war's desolation," as the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner puts it. Citing a Harris poll regarding how few of us know "all the words," our National Anthem Project has therefore posted all FOUR VERSES on its web site, along with explicit help for would-be memorizers and singers - especially senior citizens.

Mnemno -phobia . . . . Our national need for this kind of senior involvement can be summed up in one phrase: Memory Fear. . . . The National Anthem Project ( www.thenationalanthemproject.org ) has a very, very long and impressive list of supporters: Jeep, American Legion, Girl Scouts, The Smithsonian, the NFL, the Oak Ridge Boys, the White House Commission on Remembrance, etc.

Yet up to this point I have been unable via phone to locate anyone associated with these organizations who can right then and there recite all four verses of the SSB to me - or even give it an honest try. This kind of widespread reluctance, much like that of the western villagers in "High Noon," clearly represents a cry for help from the only mnemonically courageous Gary Coopers we have left, namely, our senior citizens.

Practicality . . . . Our National Anthem Project is not alone in taking memorization seriously. The Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest ( www.poetryoutloud.org ) as of January 16, 2006 is asking its 250,000 participants to both memorize and recite. Even the mainstream Ellen De Generes TV show has presented a 3-year-old virtuoso reciting the fifty states (in rapid alphabetical sequence), followed by a 5-year-old reciting our 43 Presidents. And the Los Angeles Marathon recently (Sunday, 3/19/06 ) featured an energetic plain-folks performance of the SSB by the "Honda Choir" (in a singer-friendly key of A flat, incidentally).

By way of giving seniors some practical tools to work with, I'm appending a complete personal-best program, "How to Learn and Recite the Star-Spangled Banner, the Gettysburg Address, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence" (excerpted version). It uses a multi-sensory learning approach (sight, hearing, touch, and taste (tongue, teeth, etc.) that improves learning speed and retentiveness for both young and old.

With 1,316 words to master, there's no doubt that the overall challenge here is substantial. But an hour or so a day will certainly produce measurably satisfying results. Remember, memorization is a personal-best matter of accuracy, not a matter of expert opinion (as in creative writing or painting).

Personal benefit . . . . Fortunately, our national return to the arts of memory comes at a time when gerontology itself is returning to the "reality orientation" techniques for senile dementia that were developed and used by the Veterans Administration in connection with older WWI veterans . As described in my book "A Piano for Mrs. Cimino" (Prentice-Hall, 1980), these techniques worked beautifully in restoring and strengthening memory power through traditional high-concentration activities: memorization, foreign language study, crossword puzzles, etc. So it's highly likely that senior citizens who take the accompanying program seriously will be helping themselves immensely, measurably so, along with helping the National Anthem Project reach its patriotic goal.

TO CONCLUDE . . . . Patriotism comes hard for large nations. Our natural loyalties center upon our family, along with our neighborhood and maybe a larger tribe of some sort: clan, religion, ethnic group, overseas national origin, etc. - "ancient affections," Woodrow Wilson called them. It took the Greeks and the Romans ( Pericles and Augustus, as it were) to teach our species the concept of clearly defined citizenship, along with its concomitant rights and responsibilities. And it usually takes a national crisis of some sort to drive home the absolute necessity of citizenship as an equalizing factor in our social relationships and as a driving force in the survival of our nation.

Hence my conviction that our National Anthem Project, along with Poetry Out Loud, deserves the support of all Americans, along with my belief that our current climate offers older Americans a splendid opportunity to provide their fellow citizens with what all of us need very much these days - a good patriotic example.

***

APPENDIX. . . . How to Learn and Recite the Star Spangled Banner, the Gettysburg Address, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence (performance version).

Some basic guidelines . . . . Learning is produced by individual learners, not teachers, books, or computer programs . What's here, then, assumes that each senior citizen will master these four memory targets differently, depending upon his or her personal background and learning style. Hence the need for a multi-sensory approach that involves sight, hearing, touch, and even taste in a sense, i.e., the tongue and other organs of speech. Here's a brief sketch of how these four elements work together.

SIGHT. . . . Each target, you'll discover, is presented as a visual-stanza frame, not just a sequence of sentences. Practically considered, this means your mind's eye can, as it were, fill in the blanks in a line-frame like "O'er the . . . . . . . . . . . . . gallantly streaming." The SSB line-stanza format already provides you with this visual-stanza frame. But we've also set up our remaining targets on a line-stanza basis, so that your visual memory will help you to see, for example, the first line of the Gettysburg Address as "Fourscore and. . . . . . . . . . . . brought forth."

HEARING. . . . Your natural ear for English includes the ability to recognize the difference between syllables that are stressed and those that are not, e.g., " reTAIN ," as opposed to " PLEASant ." Hence our line-stanza format will also include accent marks (`) over the vowel letters of stressed syllables or words in each line, as in " Oe'r the rámparts we wátched were so gállantly stréaming " (a 4-stress line pattern) and " Fóurscore and séven yéars agó our fáthers bróught fórth (a 7-stress line pattern).

Rhythmic patterns, as we all know from experience, have tremendous mnemonic staying power in our mind's ear, enough so that you could probably right now match up the words and syllables line by line that match up with the SSB's 4-stress line pattern, i.e., " tataTUM , tataTUM , tataTUM , tataTUM " as the rhythmic pattern for " oe'r the LAND of the FREE and the HOME of the BRAVE."

TOUCH. . . . Rhythm and physical movement form a natural partnership, whether it be dancing, marching, finger snapping, clapping, or even counting on our fingers. And this partnership opens the door to multi-tasking, as in clapping, marching, and reciting - alone or in a group. You'll certainly discover that finger counting alone will pull many a clouded word or phrase back into your conscious memory, along with the fact that writing a target out by hand (an actor's trick) makes a target flow from the hand up the arm and thence to the mind, as it were.

TASTE. . . . Speech, even talking to ourselves silently, is a physical action that involves the tongue, lips, teeth, soft palate, and hard palate way back in the throat. Hence the power of rhyme and alliteration over our emotions and our memory. Via multi-tasking, then, you'll find your speaking skills and even your singing skills will improve as your memory rehearsals become more ambitious as far as volume and pronunciation clarity are concerned.

To sum up . . . . Don't expect miracles of yourself, or of this approach. On the other hand, you certainly have a right to trust your own natural feeling for language, along with the art that went into creating each of these four patriotic documents. If others in the past have learned these four inspiring documents by heart (many have, and recently, too), there's no reason why you can't do it and be proud of yourself, along with being an inspiration to your fellow Americans, young and old.

***

TARGET ONE. . . . The Star-Spangled Banner (315 words) with Stressed Syllables Indicated

Fourscóre and séven yéars agó our fáthers bróught fórth
On this cóntinént a new nátión , concéived in líbertÿ
And dédicáted tó the próposítión thát
All mén áre creátéd équál .

Nów wé áre engáged in á great cívil wár ,

Testing whéthér that nátion or ány nátion só concéived

Ánd só dédicáted can lóng éndúre .

We are mét ón a gréat báttlefíeld óf that wár .

***

We are hére to dédicáte a pórtion óf thát fíeld

As a fínal résting pláce for thóse who hére gáve their líves

That that nátión might líve . Ít is áltogéther fitting

And própér that wé shóuld dó thís .

Yét , ín a lárger sénse ,

Wé cánnot dédicáte ,

Wé cánnot cónsecráte .

Wé cánnót hállow thís gróund .

***

The bráve men, líving and déad , who strúggled hére have cónsecráted it

Fár abóve our póor pówer to ádd ór detráct .

The wórld will líttle nóte nor lóng remémber whát we sáy here.

Bút ít can névér forgét what théy did hére .

Ít ís for ús , the lívíng ,

Ráthér tó be dédicátéd

To thé gréat cáuse which thóse who féll hére háve

Thus fár só nóblÿ advánced .

***

It is ráther for ús to be hére dedicáted to thé great tásk remáining befóre us,

Thát fróm these hónored déad we táke incréased devótion

To thát for whích they gáve the lást full méasure óf devótion ,

That wé here híghly resólve that these déad shall nót have díed in váin ,

Thát thís nátion únder Gód

Sháll háve a néw bírth of fréedóm ,

And that góvernment óf the péople , bÿ the péople , fór the péople ,

Sháll nót pérish fróm the éarth .

*****

TARGET THREE. . . . The Bill of Rights (473 words) in Stanza Form with Stressed Syllables Indicated

Note . . . . This is our longest target. But it's amazing how well it fits into the four-line stanza format unit by unit. Of our four targets, this was my last memory acquisition. But it's turned out to be my favorite, especially when it comes to making sense out of what's in the newspaper. More than I had realized, it's still a Bill of Rights for all Americans, even when they disagree.

***

I) Cóngress shall máke no láw respécting

an estáblishmént of relígion , ór

prohíbiting the frée exercíse thereóf ;

ór abrídging the fréedom of spéech ,

ór of the préss , or the ríght of the péople

péaceably tó assémble , ánd

tó petítion the góvernmént

fór a redréss of gríevancés ,

***

II) A wéll reguláted Milítia , béing

nécessáry to the secúrity óf

a frée State , the ríght of the péople to kéep

ánd bear Árms , shall nót be infrínged .

***

III) No Sóldier sháll , in tíme of péace

be quártered in ány hóuse withóut

the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war ,

but in a mánner to bé prescríbed by láw .

***

IV) The ríght of the péople to bé secúre

in their pérsons , hóuses , pápers , and éffects ,

agáinst unréasonable séarch es and séiz ures

shall nót be víolated , and no Wárrants shall íssue ,

but upon próbable cáuse , suppórted by Óath

or áffirmátion , and partícularlÿ

descríbing the pláce to be séarch ed ,

and the pérsons or thíngs to be séiz ed .

***

V) No pérson sháll be héld to ánswer

for a cápital , or ótherwise ínfamous críme ,

unless ón a preséntment ór indíctment

óf a grand júry , excépt in cáses

arísing in the lánd or nával fórces ,

or ín the Milítia , whén in áctual

sérvice in tíme of Wár or public dánger ;

nor sháll any pérson be súbject fór

the sáme offénse to be twíce put in jéopardy

of lífe or límb ; nor shall ány be compélled

in ány críminal cáse to be a wítness

agáinst himsélf , nor bé depríved

óf life , líberty , ór propertÿ

withóut due prócess of láw ; nor shall prívate

próperty be táken for públic úse

withóut júst cómpensátion .

***

VI) In all críminal prósecútions , the accúsed

shall enjóy the ríght to a spéedy and públic

tríal , by án impártial júry

of the státe and dístrict whereín the críme

shall have béen commítted , which dístrict sháll

have been préviously áscertáined by láw ;

and to bé infórmed of the náture and cáuse

of the áccusátion ; to bé confrónted

with the wítnessés agáinst him; to háve

compúlsory prócess fór obtáining

wítnesses ín his fávor , and tó have

the Assístance of Cóunsel fór his defénse .

***

VII) In Súits at cómmon law , whére the válue

in cóntrovérsy sháll excéed

twenty dóllars , the rígh t of tríal by júry

shall bé presérved , and nó fact tríed

by a júry , shall be ótherwise bé exámined

in ány Cóurt of the Únited Státes

thán accórding tó the rúles

óf the cómmon láw .

***

VIII) Excéssive báil shall not bé requíred

nór excéssive fínes impósed ,

or crúel and unúsual

púnishménts bé inflícted .

***

IX) The enúmerátion in the Cónstitútion

of cértain ríghts , shall not bé constrúed

to denÿ or dispárage óthers retáined

bÿ the péople .

***

X) The pówers nót delegáted tó

the Uníted Státes by the Cónstitútion ,

nor prohíbited bÿ it tó the Státes

are resérved to the Státes , or tó the péople .

*****

TARGET FOUR. . . . The Declaration of Independence (256 words) in Stanza Form with Stressed Syllables Indicated (performance version)

Note . . . . This version is the one that has been traditionally recited on the Fourth of July, namely, the beginning up to "alter or abolish it" followed by the closing lines, starting with "We therefore." Interestingly enough, this performance version also fits the melody, including repeats, of John Phillip Souza's "Stars and Stripes Forever," enough so that an arrangement has been written out note by note. The capitalization is based upon the original printing of 1776 as available today from the Cato Institute ( www.cato.org ).

***

1) Whén in the Cóurse of Húman Evénts

it becómes necessáry fór one Péople

tó dissólve the Pólitical Bónds

which háve connécted thém with anóther ,

2) and to assúme amóng the Pówers of the Éarth

the séparate and équal Státion to whích

the Láws of Náture and of Náture's Gód

entítle thém , a décent Respéct

3) to the Opínions óf Mankínd requíres

that they shóuld decláre the cáuses whích

impél them tó the Séparátion .

We hóld these Trúths to bé self- évident :

4) that áll Men áre creáted équal ,

that théy are endówed by théir Creátor

with cértain unálienáble Ríghts ,

thát amóng these are Lífe , Líbertÿ ,

5) and the Pursúit of Háppiness - Thát to secúre

these Ríghts , Governménts are ínstitúted

amóng men , deríving théir just Pówers

fróm the consént of the Góvérned ,

6) that whenéver ány Fórm of Góvernment

becómes destrúctive óf these Énds ,

it is the Ríght of the Péoplé

to álter ór abólish ít . . . .

*****

7) We thérefore the Répreséntatíves

of the uníted Státes of Américá ,

in Géneral Cóngress Assémbled .

appéaling tó the Súpreme Júdge

8) of the Wórld for the Réctitúde

of óur Inténtions , dó , in the Náme ,

and bÿ Authóritÿ of the góod

Péople óf these Cóloníes ,

9) sólemnly Públish ánd Decláre

that thése Uníted Cóloníes

áre and óf right óught to bé

Frée and Índepéndent Státes .

*****

10) - And fór the suppórt of this Déclarátion with

a fírm Relíance on the Protéction of divine Próvidence ,

we mútually plédge to each óther our Líves ,

our Fórtunes , ánd our sácred Hónor .