Home » Poems » Adeline Nicholson » I Remember

I Remember

“I remember...” an old man said,
“When the first shot rang out,
When the rebels held their stead,
The British bullets flew about,
And through our ranks they sped.”
Though soldiers fall and cannons shout,
The Flag flies proud and strong, no doubt.

“I remember…” a drummer boy said,
“When the blood of our country ran free,
When the Confederates called for forced labor's spread,
 The Union fought to stem the river of slavery.”
The feud caused brothers to fight 'til one was dead,
And still at the end not many could agree,
But the Flag still stood as a symbol of liberty.

“I remember...” a young nurse said,
“When wounded and bleeding they came,
When, though to revive I tried, they died instead.”
Axis and Allies caught up in a brutal game,
Destruction, death, and ruin wide spread.
Tales of battles, wars won and lost proclaim,
The strength and power of the Flag to claim.

“I remember…” an old woman said,
“When Europe was torn in two,
Rather than peace, an Iron Curtain hung instead.”
Democracy’s goal was to subdue,
The communist leader's lofty stead.
After waiting for the verdict long overdue,
The Flag rose triumphant, great, and true.

“I remember…” an aging soldier said,
“The soon forgotten war,
When our army and the south into the north sped.
To take out our enemy we had foreswore,
But our foes were not the only ones who fled.
Though they attacked us with none to warn,
The Flag still stood, tattered and worn.”

“I remember...” a young man said,
“When they attacked us in Vietnam.
Pinned by fire, they meant to shred,
The hope of seeing home again.
Through jungle and brush we fled,
Our lives nearly lost by trap and bomb,
The Flag held its ground and force, even in 'Nam.”

“I remember…” a young, strong soldier said,
“When in the deserts of Iraq,
Upon the hornet's nest we did tread.
They swarmed on us with a counterattack,
But we stood our ground until they fled.
Though many may try to push us back,
The strength of the Flag is what our enemies lack.”

“I am witnessing...” a weary general said,
“An enemy that hides behind a mask,
One that will brutally behead,
And kill as if it is a mandatory task.
The safety of the world hangs by a thread,
And it seems the die have been cast,
But the Flag still stands strong, like it always has in the past!”

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