Stars and Stripes Forever
©2020 Susan Noyes Anderson
image by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash
The flag is meant to symbolize
a birthright we all share.
Our nation offers citizens
a life beyond compare.
The year has been a troubled one
with Covid and division.
Will we stand firm for principles
that do not need revision?
Our freedoms are a gift from God,
a gift worth holding dear.
Preserving them takes moral courage
in the face of fear.
And fear is all around us now
in many forms and guises.
False leaders fear the loss of power,
refusing compromises.
Spent scientists are running scared
of data they don’t know.
Our people fret about the future.
Where will these winds blow?
The flag stands as a witness:
We can seek and find the light.
So many times, we’ve lifted it
against the darkest night.
So many times, it’s lifted us…
a standard in the sky…
to wave brave souls through storms of strife
and raise our spirits high.
May it be a reminder now
of tenets meant to last.
May it withstand the nay-sayers
who feel its time is past.
This living symbol of our nation
transcends cloth and thread.
Our flag is steeped in sacrifice,
in love and lifeblood shed.
It represents the rights and freedoms
of our constitution.
The challenge is upholding them,
not staging revolution.
These truths we hold self-evident:
Equality for all…
and Liberty, sweet Liberty.
Let’s claim them, and stand tall.
America needs patriots
who hear and heed the call.
∞§∞
If this poem resonates with you, you might also enjoy reading The Power Is Ours and Taking the Pledge.
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Tags: America, flag, freedom, liberty, patriotism, stars and stripes, USA