A Flag and A Rusty gun - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

*aldive* · 03-27-2003, 11:20 AM

A Flag and A Rusty gun

A protest raged on a courthouse lawn,
Round a makeshift stage as they charged on.
Fifteen hundred or more they say,
Had come to burn a Flag that day.

A boy held up the folded Flag,
Cursed it, and called it a dirty rag.
An OLD MAN pushed through the angry crowd,
With a rusty shotgun shouldered proud.

His uniform jacket was old and tight,
He had polished each button, shiny and bright.
He crossed that stage with a soldier's grace,
Til he and the boy stood face to face.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH; the OLD MAN said,
Is worth dying for and good men are dead,
So you can stand on this courthouse lawn,
And talk us down from dusk to dawn,
But before any Flag gets burned today,
This OLD MAN'S GOING TO HAVE HIS SAY!!

My father died on a foreign shore,
In a war they said would end all war.
But Tommy and I wasn't even full grown,
Before we fought in a war of our own.
And Tommy died on Iwo Jima's beach,
In the shadow of a hill he couldn't quite reach
Where five good men raised this Flag so high,
That the ENTIRE WORLD COULD SEE IT FLY.

I got this bum leg that I still drag,
Fighting for this same old Flag.
Now there's just one shot in this old gun,
So now it's time to decide which one,
Which one of you will follow our lead,
To stand and die for what you believe?
For as sure as there is a rising sun,
You'll burn in Hell 'fore this Flag burns, son.

Now the riot just never came to pass.
The crowd got quiet and that can of gas,
Got set aside as they walked away
To talk about what they heard this day.

And the boy who had called it a dirty rag,
Handed the OLD SOLDIER the folded Flag.
So the battle of the Flag this day was won
By a tired OLD SOLDIER with a rusty gun,
Who for one last time, had to show to some,
THIS FLAG MAY FADE, BUT THE COLORS DON'T RUN.

Author Unknown

Black Magic · 03-27-2003, 11:23 AM

That is great!

rokke17 · 03-27-2003, 12:40 PM

Makes ya think doesnt it

*FourXFred* · 03-27-2003, 04:08 PM

awesome poem! thanks for posting!

Brian8 · 03-27-2003, 04:32 PM

That was a great poem.

*ALYZ1FLR* · 03-27-2003, 04:41 PM

I would like your permission to pass this on to a few good friends and most of all to my father.

*aldive* · 03-27-2003, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ALYZ1FLR
I would like your permission to pass this on to a few good friends and most of all to my father.

By all means.....

*ALYZ1FLR* · 03-27-2003, 04:58 PM

Crankcase · 03-27-2003, 10:06 PM

That is pretty good.....

Commtech · 03-27-2003, 10:25 PM

Great Poem!
I'l be passing along to friends also if thats OK....

*aldive* · 03-27-2003, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Commtech
Great Poem!
I'l be passing along to friends also if thats OK....

Indeed.

03-27-2003, 11:20 AM	#1
aldive Elite Explorer Sarasota, Florida 1999 XLT Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 25,242 Vehicle Specs	A Flag and A Rusty gun A Flag and A Rusty gun A protest raged on a courthouse lawn, Round a makeshift stage as they charged on. Fifteen hundred or more they say, Had come to burn a Flag that day. A boy held up the folded Flag, Cursed it, and called it a dirty rag. An OLD MAN pushed through the angry crowd, With a rusty shotgun shouldered proud. His uniform jacket was old and tight, He had polished each button, shiny and bright. He crossed that stage with a soldier's grace, Til he and the boy stood face to face. FREEDOM OF SPEECH; the OLD MAN said, Is worth dying for and good men are dead, So you can stand on this courthouse lawn, And talk us down from dusk to dawn, But before any Flag gets burned today, This OLD MAN'S GOING TO HAVE HIS SAY!! My father died on a foreign shore, In a war they said would end all war. But Tommy and I wasn't even full grown, Before we fought in a war of our own. And Tommy died on Iwo Jima's beach, In the shadow of a hill he couldn't quite reach Where five good men raised this Flag so high, That the ENTIRE WORLD COULD SEE IT FLY. I got this bum leg that I still drag, Fighting for this same old Flag. Now there's just one shot in this old gun, So now it's time to decide which one, Which one of you will follow our lead, To stand and die for what you believe? For as sure as there is a rising sun, You'll burn in Hell 'fore this Flag burns, son. Now the riot just never came to pass. The crowd got quiet and that can of gas, Got set aside as they walked away To talk about what they heard this day. And the boy who had called it a dirty rag, Handed the OLD SOLDIER the folded Flag. So the battle of the Flag this day was won By a tired OLD SOLDIER with a rusty gun, Who for one last time, had to show to some, THIS FLAG MAY FADE, BUT THE COLORS DON'T RUN. Author Unknown __________________ Al Franklin My truck My Quest for 30

03-27-2003, 11:23 AM	#2
Black Magic Sport Truck Moderator St. Louis, MO Explorer Street Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 6,291 Vehicle Specs	That is great! __________________ Matt _________ 2OO1 Explorer Street Click here to see my home page... www.ExplorerStreet.com Moderator: Explorer Sport Trucks & Street Performance

03-27-2003, 12:40 PM	#3
rokke17 Wannabe Elite Explorer Minn/Mich 99 XLT 4 Door 4X4 Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 586 Vehicle Specs	Makes ya think doesnt it __________________ '99 XLT 4 door-> 4X4 Mostly stock

03-27-2003, 04:08 PM	#4
FourXFred Masshole Boston, MA 02 EB Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,363 Vehicle Specs	awesome poem! thanks for posting! __________________ 4.6, RB 3 inch spacers, 265/75 BFG AT's, Brown wire mod, K&N cold air intake. 2ND rear end, 100th wheel bearing.

03-27-2003, 04:32 PM	#5
Brian8 Wannabe Elite Explorer Terryville, Connecticut 02' limited Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 433 Vehicle Specs	That was a great poem. __________________

03-27-2003, 04:41 PM	#6
ALYZ1FLR Elite Explorer sXc Member MOBILE ALABAMA 91 Eddie B. 4x4 Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 368 Vehicle Specs	aldive I would like your permission to pass this on to a few good friends and most of all to my father. __________________ Some times I just cant wait for it to break, so I can fix it! I think the a4ld trans. is tough when built right!

03-27-2003, 04:58 PM	#8
ALYZ1FLR Elite Explorer sXc Member MOBILE ALABAMA 91 Eddie B. 4x4 Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 368 Vehicle Specs	__________________ Some times I just cant wait for it to break, so I can fix it! I think the a4ld trans. is tough when built right!

03-27-2003, 10:06 PM	#9
Crankcase Moderator Elite Explorer Chat Op Vancouver B.C, Canada 1992 XL Ex-Police Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 9,558 Vehicle Specs	That is pretty good..... __________________ Explorer Family 1992 XL Mine 1992 XL Sisters 1992 XL Dads 1994 XL Moms Ex-Moderator: Modified Explorations Drivelines New Member Forum ***Guest star poster....

03-27-2003, 10:25 PM	#10
Commtech Wannabe Elite Explorer Richmond, Va. '01 Mountaineer 5.0l AWD Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 278 Vehicle Specs	Great Poem! I'l be passing along to friends also if thats OK.... __________________ '01 5.0l Mountaineer AWD - Modded for comfort and utility Old Indian Word For Poor Hunter --> VEGITARIAN