Poem - My Flag

[Forget-Me-Not]

My Flag

Oh my dear flag, you mean to me
More than I can describe
Emotions deep within my soul
Your beauty doth imbibe

Your splendid colors stand alone
To move the mind and heart
To help us rise above ourselves
And greater things impart

In children's hands you're tightly clasped
As marching bands pass by
You're raised on porch and building front
On mast and tower high

Upon the moon, so far away
Each passing day and night
You stand as silent sentinel
Though far beyond our sight

You've led soldiers into battle
Given courage amidst war
You've been draped, a shroud, on caskets
As our fallen men we bore

You've been the inspiration
To each patriot heart that beats
And when peace has come you've been there
As we danced in city streets

I think of all the lands and seas
Where you have stately flown
Majestic in your quiet strength
A symbol of our home

A home, a land, where we are free
To live and work and love
A land where each is given place
To worship God above

That God, who giveth freedom
To the minds and souls of men
Who would, in wisdom, have us free
To serve a nobler end

My flag, Our Flag, what other sight
Can give the heart such thrill?
For freedom's cause, to us, you live and breathe
And ever will



With tomorrow being flag day I thought I'd share. I've always loved my country's flag from as far back as I can remember as a very small child, but came to write this poem after being asked to write something in honor of it for a flag retiring ceremony in 2002. It was one of the most difficult poems I've done because of the deep emotions it brought on and I wept all through the writing of it. Very emotional writing task.

[pam]

I'm not sure how I missed this earlier. Beautiful, beautiful. I truly loved this one.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Thank you Pam. I'd never had occasion to attend a flag retiring ceremony until the year I was asked to write this poem for one held during a 4th of July celebration. It was a very solemn, moving, thing to witness. One which couldn't help but instill an even deeper love and reverence for our flag and something I wish every American could experience at least once in their lifetime. Here's a link with several boy scout flag retiring ceremonies listed. If anyone has an opportunity to attend one, or has charge of arranging a patriotic program for church or community, I would encourage considering it. Boy Scout Flag Retirement Ceremonies