Thirteen Stars

Thirteen Stars

These stars, these stripes,

This red, this blue,

Tainted white.

Unfurled, fraying, tattered,

Confederate;

The Union.

Born in rebellion, revolt,

Charging headlong,

Uncivil.

Endowed, created, formed,

Torn asunder,

Ablated.

Bullet-riddled, burned

Pride-forged false flag,

Fabrics torn.

One’s victory,

One’s defeat,

Both rising on the 

Backs of the other:

Of others.

Thirteen stars constructed 

By others:

Thirteen stripes by many ones,

Lost and living.

Reconstructed, 

Recalcitrant,

Remembering differently.

High-flying totem to

A losing fight

Lost to white.

North, South, America,

Still stealth fights,

Black to night.

On lyncher’s rope risen,

Bloody, whip-striped,

Dodging stars.

Right-seeking in flags’ shadows,

Winds’ fickle whims,

In crosshairs.

A new hoisting, a retirement,

To history’s halls:

Stars and stripes.