FLAG: An American poem

With Flag Day coming June 14, I hope you will print this for the benefit of those who choose to denigrate our beautiful flag.

JOYCE SODERBERG

Coeur d’Alene

Don’t Trample on My Flag

Don’t trample on my flag.

Don’t take this beautiful and glorious banner

And turn it into a common, old ordinary rag.

It doesn’t deserve to be treated in this manner.

Don’t trample on my flag.

Don’t strike a match to her

And turn her into a pile of ash.

Treat her with the dignity she has earned,

And not like a pile of trash.

Don’t trample on my flag.

Before you remove her from the air

Where she waves with grace in all her glory,

Talk to the Vets who put her there.

And listen to their story.

Don’t trample on their flag.

Hear the sad voices of all of those

Whose loved ones returned home all broken and lame.

With courage, they fought for our flag. And for this choice

Their lives will never again be the same.

Don’t trample on their flag.

If you don’t like our stars and stripes,

And if you can’t treat it with respect,

Get off our land and take your gripes

to China or Russia, or Iran. But don’t expect

To trample on their flag. (and live to tell about it)