The Free and the Home

Americans have reinvented

Their flag as a chip on the shoulder,

Waving it as a dare—knock it off.

Flags are all a little bit like that,

Rallying us and taunting not-us,

Rallying us by taunting not-us.

Whenever people want to suggest

Amity, peaceful competition,

There’s a pavilion or hall of flags,

One each from every contributor,

As good as singing, We’re not killing

Each other. Today, we’re just playing.

Lack of variety’s a red flag,

Or variety around one theme.

Watch out for symbols, especially.

Why are we reminding you of this?

You know flags. You’ve waved a few yourself.

You know which ones are inimical

To your teams, to your point of view. You.

There was a child frightened by the dogs

At the park, who practiced self-soothing

By murmuring to himself the names

Of each of the breeds he recognized,

Which ones were bitey, which were jumpy,

Which ones only barked. His litany

Was the best way he had to be brave.

There was no one else he meant to save.