America's Fabric

AMERICA’S FABRIC @2009, 2011 Linda Barrett George Washington designed it Betsy Ross sewed it Flew Defiant in England’s face During the Revolution The stars Betsy sewed Represented our 13 colonies Each of them a combined state She wouldn’t recognize it Each star she sewed Multiplied from state to state Red represented our shed blood White acknowledged itself as Freedom’s symbol Blue became the free skies over our land The free waters of the Atlantic to the Pacific And the Great Lakes With our winding powerful rivers Each stitch represented All of America’s people Who came from Ice Age land bridges Sailed from ancient Europe Brought over from Asia and Africa The flag’s fabric Grew stronger and stronger Expanded from East to West To the Arctic circle Then into the Pacific Wounded in the War of 1812 Torn apart during the Civil War Flew up San Juan Hill and over World War I trenches Emerged from Pearl Harbor’s fires Sailed into Europe and Asia Symbol of hope and freedom To Dictator enslaved people’s eyes Reborn from Hippie bonfires Untainted by Iranian student garbage cans Rescued with minor injuries From World Trade Center rubble Each time Sewn back together With more sturdier thread