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I AM OLD GLORY  

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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 ABOVE GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.

I STAND GUARD WITH THE GREATEST

MILITARY 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 RESPECTED

- I AM REVERED

- I AM LOVED,

AND I AM FEARED!

*

I HAVE FOUGHT

IN EVERY BATTLE OF EVERY WAR

FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS:

GETTYSBURG,

SHILO,

APPOMATTOX,

SAN JUAN HILL,

THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE,

THE ARGONNE FOREST,

ANZIO,

ROME,

THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC,

THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY,

PEARL HARBOR,

MIDWAY,

GUAM,

OKINAWA,

JAPAN,

KOREA,

VIET NAM,

PANAMA,

IN THE PERSIAN GULF,

SOMALIA,

BOSNIA,

AND A SCORE OF PLACES LONG FORGOTTEN,

BY ALL THOSE WHO WERE THERE WITH ME...

I WAS THERE!

*

WHENEVER MY TROOPS WENT IN HARMS WAY,

I WAS THERE WITH THEM.

I’VE BEEN WITH GROUND TROOPS,

ON SHIPS, SUBMARINES, AIRCRAFT, AND TANKS.

I LED MY SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN AND MARINES.

I FOLLOWED THEM,

AND WATCHED OVER THEM.

THEY LOVED ME.

*

I WAS ON A SMALL HILL IN IWO JIMA,

I WAS DIRTY, BATTLE-WORN AND TIRED.

BUT MY SOLDIERS CHEERED ME!

I STILL STAND WATCH

OVER THE ARIZONA MEMORIAL IN MEMORY

OF THE MANY SAILORS WHO DIED THERE.

AND I AM PROUD!

*

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED

ON THE STREETS OF COUNTRIES THAT I HAVE HELPED SET FREE.

IT DOES NOT HURT. FOR I AM INVINCIBLE.

*

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED

ON THE STREETS OF MY OWN COUNTRY

AND

WHEN IT IS BY THOSE WITH WHOM I HAVE SERVED IN BATTLE

- IT HURTS.

BUT I SHALL OVERCOME.

FOR I AM STRONG!

*

I HAVE SLIPPED THE BONDS OF EARTH

AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ON THE MOON,

I STAND WATCH OVER

THE UNCHARTED NEW FRONTIERS OF SPACE.

I HAVE BEEN THE SILENT WITNESS

TO ALL OF AMERICA’S FINEST HOURS.

 *

BUT MY FINEST HOUR COMES

WHEN I AM TORN IN STRIPS TO BE USED

AS BANDAGES FOR MY WOUNDED COMRADES

ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE

AND WHEN I FLY AT HALF MAST

TO HONOR MY SOLDIERS, MY SAILORS, MY AIRMEN, MY MARINES.

*

AND WHEN I LIE IN THE TREMBLING ARMS

OF A GRIEVING MOTHER,

AT THE GRAVESIDE OF HER FALLEN SON OR DAUGHTER --

I AM PROUD.

*

MY NAME IS “OLD GLORY”

LONG MAY I WAVE, DEAR GOD, LONG MAY I WAVE

 

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Contributed by John Carcioppolo

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September 2001 - Recent information as to author of this poem is HERE

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