An Historic Poem
Where Would We Be
It is 1774 when we start this historic tale
We find John Peter Zenger locked in a New York jail
His satirical attacks on William Cosby the then governor of the state
Did not think his stories in The New York Weekly Journal were too great
He confined Mr. Zenger for almost a year
Until his lawyers made their case extremely clear
“You may write, publish or say all that is true
and the law shall not do anything to you!”
They convinced the jury it was clear all could see
And “Freedom of the Press” was from that day decreed
Looking back almost 300 years
The courage of Zenger brings a chill and a tear
If it wasn’t for he who else would have changed our history
Where would we be without John Peter Z?
— WOLRAD(A poem from the Wolrad collection #52)
