6.Old Glory
(chip davis, bill fries)
She was old, and beautiful, and wise, and she taught the young
boy everything he needed to know. all about the land, and the
woods and the rivers, and what had happened there even before he
was
. she taught him what was good and what was bad. and most of
all, the difference between right and wrong.
And so, every morning he stood beside his desk, with his hand
over his heart, and promised to respect her for the rest of his
days.
When times were hard, and the grain elevators stood empty
against the black midwestern sky, she gave him praise for a hard
day's work, and hope for his father. and she promised there
would be be
Days to come.
And he sat by the radio and cried angry tears one gray december
day, when he hear that she'd been betrayed. she was hurt; she
needed help. he was only twelve, but he gave her all he could：
scrap
Paper and tin cans and even the rubber tires from his wagon. he
followed her across the sea, on the maps and the newspaper,
wishing he was older, old enough to fight back.
Then after four long, dark years, he heard the church bells ring
and the noon whistle blow long and high. and he was part of one
brief moment when all the world paid respect to her.
And then he was grown up; and suddenly, the world had changed.
and there were questions about her. some thought she was
old-fashioned, useless. some thought she was dead. but then
after all, may
Ey hadn't known her as he had.
And now everyone has grown older. the boy, his children, and she
too. he saw her again just the other day： it was one of those
bright, summer mornings and the church bells were ringing again.
th
Ds were playing, and even the noon whistle was blowing, early.
He stood and watched proudly as she passed by. the sunlight
catching the flash of crimson and white, stars blazing in the
clear blue sky.
And then she was gone.
And he looked down through three generations into his grandson's
eyes, and said, 'there she goes, son. we used to call her old
glory.'
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