Read this poem aloud at a future Eagle Scout court of honor

It must’ve been pretty dusty in the room when Tom Lalor read the poem he had written for his stepson Jonathan.

Everyone in the whole place got a little misty-eyed.

Lalor read his poem, which you can see below, at Troop 251’s Eagle Scout court of honor in Larimer, Pa.

Jodie Spagnolli, committee chairwoman for Troop 251, sent me the poem — with Lalor’s permission to reprint it here.

The poem “was just incredible,” Spagnolli writes. “There was not one person in the room that didn’t dab at the corner of their eye after hearing it.”

Here it is. I think it’s worth inclusion at your troop’s next Eagle Scout court of honor, don’t you?

The Eagle

Written by Tom Lalor for Jonathan Lint

Twas the Eagle they chose, as a symbol of strength for a
new and mighty land.
That was forged in Truth, and Liberty; delivered
By God’s own hand.
That Eagle stands for Integrity and Pride
Throughout our age.
To remind us of the wars we’ve fought for
Freedom and the price we’ve paid.
And so it was when Lord Powell called on his troop
Of boys to be men,
That this symbol so strong, so pure and so proud
Was called to serve again.
Not every Scout can wear this badge, in fact they
Are but few
Who rise above their peers today to remind us of
What is true.
That Loyalty and being good will always be our aim,
That Courage and Faith are the best of us, that
The Eagle knows no shame.
These honored few who wear this badge walk
Among us to this day.
To exemplify the very best that we strive for,
So now we pray;
That God will bless and keep these Scouts always
In His sight.
For it is they, not us who know it best, the Eagle
Stands for Right.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.