Annie’s Mailbox: Poem perfect for Flag Day

Dear Readers: Today is Flag Day. We promised to print some of the patriotic poems that readers have been sending in for July 4, but we thought this one would be perfect for today. The author is Audrey Bashlor.

Honor our flag of red, white and blue,

remembering our war heroes brought freedom to you.

Men and women of today and years past

fought with valor so our freedoms would last.

The colonials bravely fought the British redcoats;

our warriors fought the Nazis and their U-boats.

Many wars have been fought through the ages

filling our history books with a great many pages.

So very long ago our independence was declared;

something for over 200 years we have all shared.

Raise the flag, rejoice this day, strike up the band,

people of many races enjoy freedom in this land.

Remember our brave men and women who fought

giving their lives to keep the freedoms we sought.

Give thanks to those in our armed forces today

Respect our flag and to them a “thank you” say.

Dear Readers: Today is Flag Day and the 37th Annual National Pause for the Pledge of Allegiance at 7 p.m. (Eastern time).

For more information, log on to americanflagfoundation.org.

Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@ creators.com, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.