JOURNEY OF A FLAG
I got to wondering the other day
about the journey of a flag
Upon the dresser sits the case
that holds a loved one's flag
Stitched stars caught my eye
as I walked by beckoning me
to have a passing memory
of the person who in life
earned that very fabric
Where did this flag originate
and was it by machine or man
How many on a daily basis are
packaged and ready for shipment
made in the U.S.A. cloth
which could be sent
to accompany a soldier home
a comforting blanket providing
the warmth of their country
The travels do not end there
for it takes its place of honor
providing solace and strength
Gloved hands present it to
a family member who clutches it
to their bosom as though it were
the very person and all the emotions
pour into this tangible material
of stars and stripes
Now it sits in someone's home
a shrine if you will
encased in glass and wood
protecting the precious threads
that symbolize what it means
to be an American, to have our freedom,
and what it took to fight for
those inalienable rights
more that a piece of cloth
this flag