AS THE FLAG UNFURLS

AS THE FLAG UNFURLS* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the flag unfurls, its colors bold against the waking sky— each star, each stripe a testament to pride, honor, and patriotism. pride, not a shield, is a bridge, linking the stories of brave soldiers, those who once fought in battlefields, their shadows etched in the soil, their courage a whisper in the rustling leaves. honor is a compass, etched in the hearts of the brave, guiding us through the tempests of division, reminding us that beneath our skin, we share the same pulse, the same yearning for respect, freedom and belonging, patriotism is a flame, flickering not in blind allegiance, but in the radiant glow of courage stoking the embers of hope, lifting up each other, an unwavering belief that together we are stronger. pride, honor, and patriotism intertwine, not as chains that bind us, but as roots that anchor us deep, in the fertile earth of understanding, where we rise together like the dawn. *Note: Poem originally published at Writer Monk, August 1, 2025. This is my original poem.