Jimmy's flag

The Coconut Telegraph ^ | October 1st, 2001 | Luis Gonzalez

[Luis Gonzalez]

I wrote this last week, began it after raising the flag one morning.

Tomorrow, when I salute, I hope to be in the company of two great Americans, two soldiers.

Jimmy, look for my friend Herb, I knew him as the CHIEF negotiator, and as a great American. Bring him around in the morning.

Two old soldiers under whose shadow I will be honored to stand.

[Luis Gonzalez]

The Old Flag
H.C. Bunner

Off with your hat as the flag goes by!
And let the heart have it say;
You're man enough for a tear in your eye
That you will never wipe away.

You're man enough for a thrill that goes
To your very finger-tips--
Ay! the lump just then in your throat that rose
Spoke more than your parted lips.

Lift up the boy on your shoulder high,
And show him the faded shred;
Those stripes would be red as the sunset sky
If death could have dyed them red.

Off with your hat as the flag goes by!
Uncover the youngster's head;
Teach him to hold it holy and high
For the sake of its sacred dead.

Ragged Old Flag
Written by Johnny Cash

I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down."
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.

He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing _Oh Say Can You See_.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams."

"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."

"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."

"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she's been abused --
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."

"And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more."

"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

[Luis Gonzalez]

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[Luis Gonzalez]

I left an empty post for the CHIEF.....sort of a FReepers missing man salute.

[TexanMom]

Luis,

That was a truly inspirational story. Thank you!

Pam

[Sungirl]

What's the secret to posting new articles??? I keep getting a message to POst the text of article...over and over!! AHAHHA

[Rheo]

That is beautiful, Luis...thank you.

My goal is to read everyone of your writings.

[Two-Bits]

Thank you and God Bless you. You are the definition of a "True American".

[Aunt Polgara]

For anyone still looking to buy a flag, try your congressman's office. I got mine from my congressman, David Dreier. It was first class, embroidered stars, made in the USA, and not very expensive.

[tomcat2]

Thank you, Luis! Well-written, and I could really relate to the hunt for a flag. I too went searching...everywhere.

[Come get it]

All I can say is: WOW! This is excellent storytelling that has brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

Stand tall, my fellow Patriot.

[Dubya]

Thanks I will try tomorrow. I have a flag, but would like to have one like yours.

[Giddyupgo]

I can't describe how this story has touched me....thank you so much.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Thanks Pam.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Off to remedial HTML school for you!!!

Luis

[Luis Gonzalez]

That's some goal!

:-)

Thank you so very much for stopping by...

Luis

[Mid-MI Student]

I read this a few days ago; very nicely done.
Thanks for the moment.

[pgkdan]

This is beautiful...it brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for writing it, you truly lifted my spirits.

[Rustybyrd]

What an inspiration and a beautiful tribute. Thank you so much for posting it, Luis.
Had to wait for the tears to stop to tell you.

[DeSoto]

A BUMP for this thread. Thanks Luis.

Today is the saddest day that I can remember at FR. I have always admired Chief Negotiator for so many admirable qualities. I had no idea that he had touched so many other FReepers in the same way.

I don't remember BCM (John Moran) from his postings but just knowing that he freeped amongst us, also makes 9-11-01 even more painful and personal. I think that I will buy a larger flag tomorrow and watch the flag wave as it honors these FReepers along with the multitude of others that have gone on before. Thanks for the idea.