I Am the Flag of the
Of
America
I
am the flag of the United States of America.
My
name is Old
Glory.
I
fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I
stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I
fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I
stand guard with power in the world.
Look
up and see me.
I
stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I
stand for freedom.
I
am confident.
I
am arrogant.
I
am proud.
When
I am flown with my fellow banners,
My
head is a little higher,
My
colors a little truer.
I
bow to no one!
I
am recognized all over the world.
I
am worshipped - I am saluted.
I
am loved - I am revered.
I
am respected - and I am feared.
I
have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years.I was
flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appamatox.
I
was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France,
in
the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy.
Guam,
Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me.
I'm
presently in the mountains of Afganistan and the hot and dusty deserts
of Iraq and wherever freedom is needed.
I
led my troops, I was dirty, battleworn and tired,
But
my soldiers cheered me and I was proud.
I
have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of
countries I have helped set free.
It
does not hurt for I am invincible.
I
have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled in the streets of my country.
And
when it's done by those Whom I've served in battle - it hurts.
But
I shall overcome - for I am strong.
I
have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted
frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.
I
have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours.
But
my finest hours are yet to come.
When
I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades
on the battlefield,
When
I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or
when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent
at
the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I
am proud.
Please
forward my message to all who still love and respect me that I may fly proudly
for another two hundred years.