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Flags In The Wind poem

By Harvey Taylor

I walked through a park today, after a peace rally,
a year from the day Baghdad was attacked
I saw hundreds of little flags, on sticks poked into the ground,
each representing a soldier killed in Iraq.

A Vietnam vet said there were five hundred and seventy-eight,
the number of dead as of the first day of Spring
five hundred and seventy eight young patriots
who will never see what another summer brings.

Of course that doesn't count the thousands wounded,
many with lifetime disabilities
and there wouldn't be enough space in the park
if we counted all the innocent Iraqis.

I walked through a park today, after a peace rally
may our efforts actually bring peace to pass!
five hundred and seventy eight flags
little flags fluttering over the grass.

Harvey Taylor

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - March 20, 2004