The Flag

THE FLAG

Goosebumps travel up and down my arms
tears well in the corner of my eye;
I walk a little taller, my backs a little straighter
As I look at the flag waving in the sky.

The rows of red remind me
of all the blood that was shed;
The lives that were honorably given
the thousands that are now dead.

The stripes of white symbolize
the great, the pure, the proud;
Who paid the ultimate price
I sing their praises out loud.

The patch of blue, I hold true to my heart
It's the color of uniform I wear;
As I join the ranks to defend my country
I take this oath I swear.

Together the brilliant white stars
make a united front so strong;
We fight to the death for freedom
to the mightiest country we belong.

When I see the American flag
folded on a coffin, or lowered at half-mast;
I take a moment to reflect
about its colorful past.

The flag demands the greatest respect
it symbols our right to be free;
We uphold our duty to serve it
Here in Air Force ROTC!

Cadet Kimberley Raulerson 
Northern Arizona University
Det 021
1995

I wrote this poem my senior year of college two months away from commissioning. Unfortunately I was in a car accident a few weeks later, which medically discharged me from the opportunity to serve in the United States Air Force. I will never forget the camaraderie formed with the cadets in my detachment, bound by a common goal to serve our country with determination, dedication, and discipline.