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'TATTERED AND TORN"

 

JUST SOME TATTERED OLD RAGS,
STARS FADED AND WORN,
SOWN IN DARKNESS OF NIGHT,
A GREAT SYMBOL WAS BORN.

SUCH MEANING HELD THEN,
MEN DIED ON THE FIELD,
MUST KEEP GLORY WAVING,
TO A PRIDE THAT WON'T YIELD.

THROUGH BATTLES AND WARS,
ALWAYS FLYING TALL.
AGAINST STAGGERING ODDS,
NEVER ONCE DID SHE FALL.

IN TIME ALL MUST CHANGE,
THIS NATION CONFUSED,
TURNED YOUR BACK ON YOUR LAND,
SIMPLE RULES YOU REFUSED.

FOR THAT WE DID PAY,
TO THE WORLD WE DID LACK,
ALLOWED HATRED TO THRIVE,
NEVER SENSING ATTACK.

TO OUR KNEES WE WERE FELLED,
BECAUSE OUR LIVES WERE FREE,
AGAINST OUR SYMBOL OF STRENGTH,
AGAIN NOW WE SEE.

THREE FIREMEN SHOWN,
RAISED OUR SYMBOL OF HOPE.
THROUGH SMOLDERING STEEL,
THEY ALLOWED US TO COPE.

THIS SYMBOL THAT WAVES,
WAS ONE, ONCE THEY'D BURN.
NO MORE FLAMES TO MY FLAG,
THIS WORLD BETTER LEARN.

AMERICA RE-BORN.
AGAIN A NATION OF PRIDE.
FLAGS FLY HIGH AGAIN.
NO LONGER THEY HIDE.

A TATTERED TORN FLAG,
FROM THE RUBBLE THEY FOUND.
LET HER RISE ONCE AGAIN,
OVER THIS HALLOWED GROUND.

ALL THE HEROES WHO DIED,
NOW ARE STARS TO BURN BRIGHT,
ON A HEAVENLY FLAG,
BURN A PATH THROUGH THE NIGHT.

A NEW STROM IS BORN.
FREEDOMS WIND TAKING HOLD.
SEE THE MIGHT OF OUR LAND,
WAVING FREE, WAVING BOLD.

 

 

 By Police Officer Anthony Petrocelli