Whitney Albright (07-31-1988 / Alabama)

I was swayed by your ancestors in 1775
A country under God is what I symbolized
And I saw men laid to rest in the ground
But I was waved high in old Yorktown
Those English cannons tore up my seams
Still, the soldiers looked at me with dreams

Your grand daddy carried me in ‘43
His courage fought hard for me
His hat dropped when he’d see me wave
He’d put his hand on his heart for the home of the brave
Marching in his boots underneath the bombed trees
He went through hell to protect me

The day he died, I was put in your grandma’s lap
In her arms, I felt a tight, firm wrap
When she passed, you looked in my direction
You found in me a strong connection
You look at me each day of your life
And remember the men who sacrifice

I am what you make of me, nothing more
Yes, I’ve been to distant shores
I’ve been worn as a soldier’s cape
And I’ve been worn as a soldier’s drape
Wherever there’s honor, look to me
With your hand on your heart in the land of the free