A RAINBOW ENSIGN by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS

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!

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

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