The Blue Flag by Lewis Turco

The Blue Flag

Bluer than the bluest blue of sky,
The flag of friendship ripples overhead,
But when that flag is struck, friendship is dead
And enmity ensues: no flag can fly

That changes color in mid-flight. The sun
Will bleach a banner to a shade of white
When loyalty begins to bleed. Midnight
Descends, and dawn shows colors that have run

In broken trust that cannot be re-dyed.
The cloth hangs from its pole in rags and tatters,
For what it stood for once no longer matters.
Friendship survives and thrives in mutual pride:

The maxim must apply to everyone,
For when the flag is struck, what’s done is done.

by Lewis Turco

Editor’s Note: Much of modern poetry is written in the confessional manner and we forget that poetry can follow other paths. This sonnet can be interpreted politically or personally, but regardless of which meaning a reader chooses, the form and imagery perfectly present the cost of broken promises.