"The Flag of Brothers" by A. H. Laidlaw

The Flag of Brothers

There is blood upon the Banner, the Banner of the Free,
There is blood upon our Banner, and it lies ‘twixt you and me,
And, like the blood of Abel, it crieth from the sod,
And it crieth unto God throughout the Morning.

There’s a blot upon the Banner, the Banner of the Free,
There’s a blot upon our Banner, and it lies ‘twixt you and me,
And, like the soul of Samuel, it riseth from the clod,
And it crieth unto God throughout the Nooning.

There’s a curse upon the Banner, the Banner of the Free,
There’s a curse upon our Banner, and it lies ‘twixt you and me,
And, like the curse of Cain, it scars our brows with pain,
And it sears a Brother’s brain throughout the E’ening.

May the Lord now bleach this Banner, the Banner of the Free,
And keep that Banner floating as a pledge ‘twixt you and me,
And, like the eyes of Noah, as the Flood of Blood flies from us,
May we see the Bow of Promise in the Morning.

Our Banner, then, unsullied, this Banner of the Free,
Will be a Brother’s Banner, held up by you and me,
And, like a Christian people, as example unto others,
We will wave the Flag of Brothers on that Morning.

—A. H. Laidlaw