Art-For-Art’s-Sake Theatre: Taps - The Bugler’s Cry

Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the lake,
From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well,
Safely rest;
God is nigh.

Now that we are back to our regularly scheduled programming, it is time once again for our usual midday Wednesday feature. Taps Historian and bugler Jari Villanueva explains the origins of America's most famous bugle call.

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar, drawing near
Falls the night.

The old Troop 120 in Milford had an official “Troop Bugler” which was a ceremonial role still listed for BSA units. Ours would sound the wake-up call, the call to meals, the raising and lowering of the flag, and, of course, this call for the end of the day. And even though they recently merged the requirements of the Bugling Merit Badge (one of the BSA's oldest, dating to the beginning) with the Musician Merit Badge, the sight of a young man marking the day at camp, as others did before him, can still move the heart of many an old Scout.

Thanks and praise for our days
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
As we go, this we know
God is nigh.

More information at tapsbugler.com or taps150.org.