The Old Flag

The Old Flag



Saturday when I left you

To help my son in law

Something happened along my way

Saddest thing you ever saw

An old man selling junk there, from a table on 23rd

Every piece was priced and tagged

Some old ladies there they heard,

Underneath of all that junk

As a table cloth laid out,

Was an old Star Spangled Banner

From some past World, War no doubt

And the thought of that cut through me

And it hurt me deep inside

Made me think of all my countrymen

Those who fought, and those that died

I drove down a block or two

And I turned my truck around

All my thoughts were fueled by anger

I couldn’t hear a sound

As I turned around in traffic

And I eased up on his spot

Said if you’re looking for attention man

It’s my attention that you’ve got

I commenced to tell the stories

Of my Dad in Seoul Korea

My Uncle named Big Lawrence

World war ONE down in the trenches

My cousins Ken and Dave

How they fought and never gave in,

How my Uncle Mike was wounded

Atop a hill in Viet Nam

And I told him then quite calmly

As I conjured up my breath

Said it’s not in your best interest

To put me to the test

Old man you have offended me

And all the ones who’ve gone before

All the ones who died for Liberty, and

Gave their lives on foreign soil

The Ladies there applauded me

For what I said to that old man

And helped clear off all the dishes

And we folded that old Flag:

I showed him then, so reverently,

The respect that it demands,

The old man wiped his tears away

As he took it from my hands.



Augustus Clay