THE
FLAG WITHIN
Written
by Poet Renay Intisar Jihad
A
BOOK LENGTH POEM INSPIRED BY THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TRADGEDY
***********************
Part I
The Flag Within
There's a flag within me
A flag within you
True patriotic red, white and blue
Freedom
Justice
Equality
Democracy
Tolerance
Harmony
These ideals mark
our collective reality
We loyally hang the flag
on museums and city shrines
We realize that it implies
principles that advance humankind
We proudly display the flag
on vans, trucks and cars
Assimilating its values
into who we Americans really are
We vividly wear the flag
on trendy, stylish clothes
It keeps outlooks, moods,
and manners open-minded
instead of closed
Flags waving high
Arms extended to the sky above
Flags draped low
Citizens appreciate the freedoms
they have grown
to love and know
From Ground Zero to Ground Hero
Living memorials to the deceased
Funeral pits are grave sights
Charitable acts erase or ease
enduring pain and grief
On chapels, mosques,
temples and steeples
The flag is
inciting reflective feelings
in the sentiments of people
In classrooms, boardrooms,
dorms and stores
The flag is
in all minds and hearts
more now than ever before
On chimneys, billboards,
porches and roofs
The flag has
risen as substantial proof
of a genuine greater good
In hotels, restaurants,
stadiums and parks
The flag is
an icon propelling people
to completely depart
from conflict-driven conduct
that seals the heart
The flag is hung, taped,
stapled, and glued
everywhere on everything
This true red, white and blue
A popularized cloth
Token of honor and sacrifice
America the Beautiful
has paid a steep price
The flag is being sold, bought,
traded or given as gifts
Everyone's inner spirit
needs a serious lift
Old, young, black, white
rich, poor, urban or rural
Everyone's inner spirit
requires satisfying
People are seeking a life
worth completely living
People are seeking a shift
away from previous norms
People are working to establish
a higher sense of right
People want relief
From the recent shocking storms
Flaunting this emblem
conscientiously
is one response
to the massive tragedies
Providing thoughts of
comfort, solace, faith
or a chance to trace
our heritage's grace
requires healing
These journeys must be made
As streams of tears
flood innocent faces
We focus our deeds
of courageous acts
Helping the besieged
with our hands and our hearts
Aiding those who are in need
Yet duty's call cannot replace
The afflicted lives
dissolved by ashes laced
With weapons of hate
and mass destruction
Victim's families
will never see or touch
The cherished lost ones
who were treasured so much
Priests, Rabbis,
Imams, and Reverends
police our emotion's
scattered debris
to help make sense
of what happened to be
senseless acts of terror
As I watch my grandma's tears
roll down her ninety-eight
year old cheeks
Saying, "These are the
last days Nay,"
but really barely able to speak
"We're in the last day's Nay!"
I refuse to accept this reason
For I know we're our
brother's keepers
This test, if won, will bring us
a better and more
lasting universal peace on earth
Flags marking street corners
are reminders of pride
As people march humbly,
walk soberly or somberly ride
In or to parades, memorials,
vigils and funerals
Some pause to ask questions
wanting, pleading to know why
while shedding endless cries
Flags of hope, courage,
bravery and strength
Flags of valor distinctly
marking this day forward
As people hold on
to victory's crest
certain the flag's precepts
will move everyone onward
But onward to what place?
What place and where?
The public has stopped to ask
these imperative questions
because they sincerely care
They see the…
Flags on houses,
trailers and walls
Flags in basements, attics,
schools, colleges and malls
They see the…
Flags on trucks, trains,
buses, bikes and cars
On billboards, posters,
portraits, painted,
stained, sewn or carved
They see…
Flags on jewelry, lapels,
logos, mementos, cards
Out of glass, wood, metal,
leather, beads and stone
Out of bronze, silver, gold
On things both soft and hard
They see…
Flags laminating
everything from designer jeans
to sweaters, socks, shoes
Flags matte' or shiny
grainy, bubbly,
rough, fluffy or silky-smooth
They ask probing questions
time and time and again
For something about it all
Just does not seem
to resonate what should be meant
They question for they know
these days are significant
They question for they know
every moment is omnipotent
They question for they know
that our world can be
profoundly reformed
They question for they know
that our society can be
fundamentally reborn
While the season is in our favor
While time is on our side
Change is well worth
the attempt
Atone
Pray
Repent
Progress is for the sake
of preventing future lament
Living by The Creed
will inspire principled growth
Being examples of what
future generations
will come to practice,
revere and know
No alien civil liberties
for those who could and should
have earned, wholeheartedly,
inalienable rights
without limitations
with total autonomy
No disenfranchised
opportunities or unfairly
interpreted probabilities
for those who by now
should have earned
multiple chances to express
their God-given capabilities
No prison walls built
for those whose life's honor
is stifled because of a perceived
social deficit disorder
Today's Guardians of The Creed
must relentlessly seek to protect
all Human and Civil Rights
Must relentlessly seek to guard
the firm foundation of our nation
Part II
Sacred Acts
Allowing the flag
to emanate from our hearts
to keep America
The Beautiful People
together, not splintered,
down and out or apart
Is a Sacred Act
Allowing the flag
to emanate from our spirit
To keep America
The Beautiful People's
inherited task in tact
Is a Sacred Act
Allowing the flag
To emanate from a sense of pride
To keep America
The Beautiful People
committed to missions deprived
of false premises and lies
Is a Sacred Act
It is something we
can and should do
For we have the power
to make whatever good
we wish and strive
for come true
Part III
United We Stand
We are moving forward
being true to our
collective destiny…
For the flag
represents
a cry for freedom
We are moving forward
analyzing and resolving
big uncertainties…
For the flag
harbors a plea
for restoration
We are moving forward
commencing to
a greater good…
For the flag
signals a prayer
for the glorious past
We are moving forward
under a banner
of an active sense of duty
For the flag
generates a yearn
to create a future built on
strong values
that will continually last
It is inciting a rise
to the occasion
…And an age
will surely come
No longer will uncertain
questions be asked
Not by me, you,
or anyone because…
There's a flag within me?
A flag within you?
True patriotic red, white and blue
Freedom
Justice
Equality
Democracy
Tolerance
Harmony
These ideals mark
our collective reality
Part IV
Blessings
God bless America
God bless the World
God bless the Universe
Our roots
Our bonds
are real
Every infant and toddler
man and woman
boy and girl
is a member of
a grandeur scheme
A boundless
bountiful circle
Part V
United
Pledging allegiance
to a country
commandingly great
With turmoil and triumphs
citizens strive hard to make
Difficulty fair-seeming
Hardship, a challenge to confront
Obstacles are banished readily
Setbacks are redirected at once
But admittedly there are symptoms
Unfinished business
blatantly retorts
Other issues must be tackled
Dealt with forcefully
There's no recourse
Symptoms of racism and sexism
are signs that we're still
in need of improvement
Ageism and classism
are signs that we're still
moving towards total refinement
We're still attempting to align
true freedom with responsibility
We still need to find
true equality
and absolutely mean it
Bold ghost of the past
Nerve to live in the present
Nerve to inhabit
the civilized planet
with civil-lies, disguised
Some constitutional rights
under-active or laying dormant
Some civil laws being tarnished
as real causes go unresolved
Part VI
Moving On
The long-lasting fears
of the defenseless
cast shadows of
doubt and despair
They are catching hell
on a daily basis
Surviving is a living nightmare
Apartheid and ethnic cleansing
are both global and
catastrophic in scope
Slavery and genocide
is ignorance breeding hatred,
hatred, hatred not hope
A consistent
attitude of benevolence
is needed to fight blatant
out of control greed
Why can't ALL eyes
have a prize
that can reasonably
and impartially be reached?
Part VII
Pleas and Cries
Our international cry of hope
Rule Out Oppression of ALL Kinds…
Now that makes perfect sense
The poor, hungry, homeless
are struggling all the time
They can't even secure a decent job
They can't even pay their rent
and daily living is just plain hard
Out international cry of hope
Rule Out Oppression in ALL Places…
Now that's a perfect antidote
Why can't every man, woman, child
find their duly-proportioned call
Find their world of opportunity
Their due station in life's pursuits
Their passion's inner style
Part VIII
Economic Exile
A mini-minority
hoard the majority
of prime assets
Capitalism taken to
a ridiculous extreme
A few percent of the most
make able living unduly hard
Yet people attempt to cling
to their lifelong dreams
to build a good future
without regrets
Stockpiled resources and dividends
are left inside the walls
of wealth and prosperity
Releasing and sharing valuable capital
would alleviate the plots of economic exile
Share with those
who also need to chart
their own space in a special place
Their own reality in the universe
Their own life-links with purpose
For freedom is well worth having?
Yes, historical lies
linger unchallenged
as anti-Semitism,
another schism
incites unnecessary clashes
between differing races
Keeps people disunited
practicing intolerance
A severe aberration
A daunting curse encircling
important heads of nations
as their Body States nearly
fall from God's Grace
Part IX
The Message
As personal prayers
rest on every front room table
As the Holy Qur'an
lays high on believers' shelves
As the Torah
reclines on worshippers'
mantles and chests
We discover Great Lessons
for these Books of Guidance
forcefully test
us and teach us that without
doubt or reservation
God is Able
As the Bible
carpets every church's pew
and podium cradle
As every Book of Hope
and Guidance
occupies appointed places
As timeless scriptures
revive the heart
casting out all doubts,
questions and regrets
An essential message
rings perfectly clear
It is intrinsic to all
well-intentioned quests
It rings loudly from tall
roofs and modern stables
God is Great
God is Able
Timeless messages
acquired through acts of
Compassion and Mercy
Both attributes of God:
Provider of Sustenance, Divine
To whom much
is supplied
much is required
With the faith
of a mustard seed
All can be saved
from the fire
Part X
The Creed
Living The Creed's
Proclamations
would model
universal change
Living The Creed's
Proclamations
would inspire
the world to do the same
Living The Creed's
Proclamations
would build
enduring relationships
Living The Creed's
Proclamations
would provide
for an entire citizenship
Living The Creed's
proclamations
would propagate
authentic communication
Living The Creed's
Proclamations
would proliferate fortitude,
courage and prosperity
throughout our entire nation because…
There's a flag within me
A flag within you
True patriotic red, white and blue
Freedom
Justice
Equality
Democracy
Tolerance
Harmony
These ideals mark
our collective reality
These ideals mark
our collective reality
They must live
through our acts and deeds
These ideals mark
our collective reality
They must be evident
for all to see
These ideals mark
our collective reality
Hate begets hate and more hate
These ideals mark
our collective reality
Activists attest to the
benefits of faith
These ideals mark
our collective reality
Perpetrators transcend
time and space
These ideals mark
our collective reality
With hands, hearts and words
survivors can continue to replace
oppression with compassion
Part XI
Out There and Here
War at our doors
In our face stories
Of war at our doors
In our face dialogue
Of images galore
War at our doors
War in the streets
In our face images
Of war in the streets
In our face dialogue
Of images that bleed
War in the streets
In our face
mind boggling
intolerance
In our face
indifference
to nature's balance
War at our doors
War in the streets
When will people
build bridges
instead of walls
so bleak?
When will people
let weapons fall?
No more
War at our doors
In the streets
Justice
What Time has ordered,
No man can put asunder
Lay down your knives
Your weapons
Your thunder
Enter the gardens
Of God's oneness
One with self
One with others
Enter the gardens
Of unity
Within self
With others
What Time has ordered
No man can put asunder
Lay down your knives
Your weapons
Your thunder
Lay down your knives
Your weapons
Your thunder
Enter the gardens
Part XII
Frontlines
Frontlines right in your own house
Get to the front of the line
Fight for peace Not a
High
High
High
The war is going on
The war is going
The war
in the world of your house
High
High
High
Is going on
Frontlines right
in your own house
Get out to the front
of the line for peace
No more trouble
No more lies
No more of wars' puzzle
No more withdrawals
No more dieing
No more of wars'
aimless crying
Stealing stillness
through the blood in your veins
False glory
sitting in your eyes
Straining friends and family
Becoming insanely anesthetized
Cracked heads
with damaged hoods hide
High
High
High
*****************************************
Glossary
1) Edu-wake - Education that revitalizes the human spirit
2) The Creed - Truth, justice and the pursuit of liberty
2) Essentials Educational Services - My company
3) False Hoods - People who live according to wickedness
4) Intisar - Resourceful in Arabic
5) Jihad - To strive toward all that is right
6) Know-etry - Knowledge-based poetry
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