Origin Of Old Glory
by Helen George
In 1831, in the gray light of dawn,
While the dew was still wet out on the lawn,
Captain William Driver awoke with a grin,
Another sea voyage was about to begin.
Aboard the Charles Doggett, asea at last,
High up in the rigging, waving from the mast,
A 24 star flag hung in the bright morning light,
"Old Glory!" the Captain exclaimed at the sight.
Captain Driver awhile later retired to Nashville,
Where Old Glory was raised each day with a thrill,
The townspeople loved and respected this flag,
Until Tennessee seceded and they called it a rag.
Old Glory was taken down and hidden away,
The Rebels sought its whereabouts with dismay,
Old Glory wouldn't be seen again until 1862,
When Tennessee fell to the men wearing the blue.
Union forces captured the town in these days,
'Ore the capitol, an American flag they displayed,
Then Captain Driver brought forth Old Glory again,
And she was hoisted anew by the 6th Ohio's men.
Between two sides of a quilt she'd been hidden away,
Today, in the breeze, again she proudly does sway,
The men saluted Old Glory and adopted her name,
As they repeated her story, she gained great fame.
In Nashville Cemetery, at Captain Driver's grave,
A flag, though not Old Glory, constantly waves,
In respect for the Captain and his patriotic ways,
The flag waves from on high 24 hours each day.
9 Jun 2008 Written
ReplyDelete9 Jun 2008 Posted on The Poetry Pages [Under Challenges and Exercises, where I had previously posted a new Exercise for poetry about a famous person.]
ReplyDelete10 Jun 2008 Revision made to last stanza.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I had riginally: "One of only three places Congress gave the ok, For the flag to be flown 24hours each day." I could find no verification that congress enacted such a law, but the flag does fly 24 hrs a day at the gravesite. Many places do so out of a sense of patriotism.
My revision is "In respect for the Captain and his patriotic ways, The flag waves from on high 24 hours each day."