Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A RAINBOW ENSIGN, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS Poet's Biography First Line: I love the red, and white, and blue Last Line: And frankly trust and aid and love us! Subject(s): Flags - United States; American Flag | ||||||||
I love the red, and white, and blue, The gleaming colors of Old Glory, Not only for the record true Of proud Columbia's shining story, Not for our reddened hearths alone, Not for our skies of azure beauty, Not for the white hands of our own That bind our souls to home and duty. But love I these -- white, blue, and red, -- Because on all the flags of nations These hues are oftenest outspread For loyalty's high salutations; Because the Frenchman bows to these, Because the Briton loves them dearly, Because to Norse and Portuguese They speak familiarly and clearly; Because, with forms that vary far, With rising sun and haughty eagle, With cross and crescent, shield and star, With elephant and lion regal, Yet, in the medley of design, Where birth and fortune would dissever, Dear red and white and blue combine To fuse the flags of earth together. The Dutchman holds those colors fair, The Hun, the Greek, the Jap, the German, Swede, Swiss, Turk, Russian, -- something there Preaches the patriotic sermon. Some color of Columbia's three To her adopted sons and daughters Tells of their homes across the sea, And disannuls the sundering waters. But oh, bright banner, dearly mine, I hold you yet but half completed; And still the hope of your design Is half delayed or half defeated. But you, my flag of union, you Will wave to all flags as their fellow, If to the red and white and blue You add the black, and green, and yellow! Black, for the sturdy German race; Green for old Ireland's singing meadows, And Italy's remembered grace Of tender skies and storied shadows; And yellow for the Spaniard brave, For Swede and Norse and Austrian brothers, Ay, and across the western wave For yellow sons of Mongol mothers! Room for the yellow, black, and green In the broad banner of Old Glory! Three stripes -- what marvels would they mean, The close of earth's unfriendly story! A rainbow banner, like the bow Of promise in the skies above us, When all the nations come to know And frankly trust and aid and love us! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FLAG GOES BY by HENRY HOLCOMB BENNETT THE AMERICAN FLAG by JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE THE CALL TO THE COLORS by ARTHUR GUITERMAN BETSY'S BATTLE FLAG by MINNA IRVING THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG by ANNIE CHAMBERS KETCHUM THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by FRANCIS SCOTT KEY THE CONQUERED BANNER by ABRAM JOSEPH RYAN FANCIES AT NAVESINK: 6 by WALT WHITMAN A BATTLE SONG (WRITTEN IN THE WORLD WAR) by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS |
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