A Different Kind of Smoke

A single flame has the potential for life and death,

the difference between warmth and cold,

It creates a home or leaves behind a trail of ashes.

Its smoke can be a beacon of hope,

A call for change,

Or a dominating presence.

But that same smoke can be a symbol-

Danger.

Mutiny.

Disrespect.

And If that smoke bleeds red, white, or blue

That’s when I begin to fight,

And you know, for whom.

For the men and women who shape this country,

For the principles that it has been founded upon,

For the soldiers who risk their lives,

And for the land in which we wrote our song.

The Star-Spangled Banner,

A telling piece, I might add,

Describes the land I call home,

And tells the story of my flag.

Every star,

every stripe,

and every color are symbols-

Pride.

Courage.

Patriotism.

Each are represented in that single piece of cloth,

Each are held close to American’s hearts.

So, when someone burns that flag,

Or stamps it with the sole of their shoe,

That’s when I begin to fight,

And you know, for whom.

By: Rory S