OUR FLAG

OUR FLAG 

By John Martin

Decorations by Verna McCully 

RED, white, and blue; red, white, and blue;
Red for the coursing blood that flows 
For brotherhood in human hearts. 
White for the Spirit that bestows 
On all mankind a sense of God, 
The wise Creator of us all, 
Who holds the heavens in His hand 

And notes the tiny sparrow's fall.

Blue for the Mind with which to think; 

A gift to man by dear God given 

That holds our human reason close 

To man and to our God in Heaven. 

Red, white, and blue, with stripes and stars;

The Body, Spirit, and the Mind; 

The emblem of true liberty 

And equal rights of all mankind. 

OUR FLAG! It flies on many seas;

 And many peoples, reverent, 

Take to their lives the meaning of 

Its sacred purpose and intent.

It may be dumb, but still it speaks 

A ringing language that imparts 

Hope to the lost, faith to the brave, 

And Freedom's voice to human hearts. 

TS COLORS may be crude and bold, 

But glorious it is unfurled, 

And to us, far more beautiful 

Than any flag in all the world. 

In battle it has paid the debt 

We owe to others, and in peace 

Its never-failing urge to right 

And love of freedom will not cease. 

No selfish purpose shadows it; 

No greed or hard ambition mars 

The simple glory of its stripes 

Or mystic meaning of its stars. 

The numbers of its stars may change, 

But changeless is its meaning true; 

And cloudless is its purity 

As high noon sky's unclouded blue 

T stands for honor and for truth, 

And man's undying great desire 

For happiness and liberty 

By God's will reaching ever higher. 

It knows no king or creed or rule; 

It is no banner of the sword. 

Its sole allegiance is to God;

Its creed, reliance on the Lord. 

OH, Children of America, 

This sacred Flag of ours endures 

In beauty, strength, and purity, 

Through loyalty and prayers like yours. 

'Tis you whose hearts and hands shall keep 

Its purpose plain and meaning sure. 

'Tis you whose reverence and love 

Shall hold its glory always pure. 

It is your growing sense of right 

That gives you children sight to see 

How best to cherish and protect 

Our Flag of life and liberty. 

'Tis you our children, who must live 

With spirit pure and steady hand 

To keep Our Flag the emblem of 

The sacred honor of our land. 

So, rise, brave young Americans! 

Stand up and take unflinching parts 

In all that keeps Our Country's Flag 

A sacred glory in our hearts. 

Don t let a day of life go by 

Without a loving thought or prayer 

For our dear Flag and for the hearts 

That keep its meaning cherished there. 

Reference:

JOHN The Child's Magazine HELEN WALDO and JOHN MARTIN EDITORS 1929