The Red, White, and Blue

Olivia had an assignment for school which was to write a paper about being the American flag or the Star Spangled Banner.  She chose the flag.  Olivia has a fondness for poems and decided she wanted to write a poem.  I thought it was a great idea and so she wrote her first poem.  Here is her poem. 

I am the American flag
I waive high in the breeze.
In the war of 1812
I did not freeze.
With honor, freedom, and loyalty
                                                                       we won the victory.
                                                                       Still in God we trust
                                                                       we will make history.
                                                                      When they looked at me with awestruck eyes
                                                                      and willing hearts they sacrificed their lives.
                                                                      If you are distraught fight for me and liberty.
                                                                      By Olivia Brown

To my knowledge, I have never written a poem before.  I have never enjoyed writing before let alone thinking that I would attempt to write a poem.  Recently I have grown fond of writing but Olivia was truly an inspiration with this poem idea.  I decided, with her permission, to add to what she wrote and when I look at the work, though it is amateur writing, I see the inspiration of the almighty in it for I would have never thought this could come from a nine year old nor myself.  We have been studying American history this year and it is so touching to read about the great men and women who sacrificed so much.  My faith melted with a bit of history is the amalgam before you.  Here is my version.

The Red, White, and Blue

I am the American flag I waive high in the breeze
In the war of 1812 I did not freeze.
With honor, freedom, and loyalty we won the victory.
Still in God we trust  we will make history.
When they looked at me with awestruck eyes
and willing hearts they sacrificed their lives.
When the antagonist rises upon our shores
and freedom no longer soars.
Do not be distraught I say, look up and you will see,
a wave I will give to thee.
Stand tall, gaze at me
for the red, white, and blue still stands for liberty.
Though that man of sin tries to tear me down
know that he can not take our crown.
Though I stand alone I will not falter
for freedom will not be set on the alter.
You see my colors stand for more than liberty
they stand for a man who died on a tree.
The dark chains of slavery
hides in sin you see.
So this man Christ Jesus set us free
by breaking the shackles of misery.
Manifested in a character of purist white, full of glory
so that we too may share in His story.
Blue represents the law He kept
conquering till He wept.
Not only tears dropped from His face
it was red blood that He shed for this race.
I am the American flag with thirteen stripes you see
so when you look up at me remember that freedom is never free.
It's paid not with money and gold
for they grow cold.
It is the sweat, blood, and tears that freedom requires
standing bold when others retire.
Truth and freedom the mystery of iniquity will try to take
but with the Holy Ghost we will not quake.
Stand tall and remember me
I stand for liberty.
By Olivia and Renie Brown

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