A Veterans Day poem from long ago (11/07/07)

Sixty-five years ago, a young man from Jay County wrote a poem.

He was in the service.

World War II was in full swing.

And when he was home for a visit, he saw that a large American flag was flying from the water tower of his hometown.

Heading back to his unit after leave, he started putting some words together on paper.

And when he was done, he sent a copy home.

Not long later, the family shared it with friends at the local newspaper. And not long after that, the poem made its way into print.

That young soldier, now a resident of a retirement community in Portland, still writes poems now and then for special occasions and for the amusement of other residents of Crown Pointe Living Center.

Max Rathbun is a bit older now, of course.

A long career with the U.S. Postal Service and raising a family are behind him.

Now, it's a simpler life and the opportunity to enjoy his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

But the poem he wrote after that visit home in 1942 still is worth sharing.

Max gave me a copy the other day. He has tweaked it a bit to update it, but the message is still the same.

"I thought maybe folks would enjoy it for Veterans Day," he told me.

I think so too.

So here it is, 65 years after its first appearance in The Commercial Review, Max's poem entitled, "Our Flag."

It flies so high up in the sky

Undaunted and alone

And it will fly, with colors high

Until our boys come marching home

It reaches far, it reaches wide

So that we all may see

Not you, nor I alone

But every single one of us

Who love our country

We all have men who do their part

And we are on their side

For we are all Americans

And of that fact, we beam with pride

Now, let's take this fact more seriously

For we all have a job to do

Not only soldiers, sailors and marines

But this job includes you too

It takes all of us to makee a team

As strong and great as ours

So, side by side, let's give our best

And crush those insurgents' power

Let's keep that flag up there that high

Mark not its face with shame

But mark it with the lasting pride

Of we who bear the name

As hopes and courage rage so high

Of we Americans alone,

No place else but in this land

Will our boys, victorious

Come marching home

Thanks, Max, have a meaningful Veterans Day this Sunday.[[In-content Ad]]