Forwarded. -----Original Message----- From: Cliff Cottam <ccottam@presys.com> To: earl_hitt@msn.com <earl_hitt@msn.com> Date: Sunday, March 14, 1999 11:58 PM Subject: A tribute >"That Ragged Old Flag" > > I walked through a county courthouse square > > On a park bench, an old man was sittin there. > > I said, "Your court house is kinda run down, > > He said, "No, it will do for our little town". > > I said "your old flag pole kinda leaned a little bit, > > And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it". > > He said "have a seat", so I sat down, > > He said, "is this your first visit to our little town" > > I said, "I think it is" > > He said "I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of > > "That Ragged Old Flag" > > "You see, we got a little hole in that flag there, > > When Washington took it across the Delaware. > > It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching > it, writing > > "Oh Say Can You See" > > It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson > > tugging at its seams. > > It almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag, > > But she waved on tho. > > It got cut with a sword in Chancellorsville, > > Got cut again at Shiloh Hill. > > There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg, > > And the south wind blew hard on > > "That Ragged Old Flag" > > > > On Flanders Field in World War I, > > She took a bad hit from a Bertha Gun, > > She turned blood red in World War II > > She hung limp and low by the time that one was through, > > She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent > > by her Uncle Sam. > > > > The Native Americans, The Black, Yellow and White > > All shed red blood for the Stars and Stripes. > > And here in her own good land, > > She’s been abused, burned, dishonored, denied and refused, > > And the very government for which she stands > > Has been scandalized throughout out the land. > > And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearing kinda thin, > > But she’s in pretty good shape, for the shape she’s in. > > Cause she’s been through the fire before > > and she can take a whole lot more. > > > > So we raise her up every morning > > And we bring her down slow every night, > > We don’t let her touch the ground, > > And we fold her up right. > > On second thought > I do like to brag > > Cause I’m mighty proud of > > "That Ragged Old Flag" > > >