THE FLAG.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6604, 26 May 1925, Page 7

THE FLAG.

BY WILL LAWSON “A flag is only a wind-whipped rag,” The young sea rover said, “While Time’s light moments never lag And Life lies bright ahead. Every flag is a rover’s flag, Yellow or black or red.”

His old sire swore with sea oaths round, And would not have it so. “A flag’s a flag c®. sea or ground Wherever the four winds blow, And every man to his flag is bound Whether he will or no.”

The young sea rover laughed anew And steered for the sunrise red, And never a flag or pennant flew From jackstaff or masthead. “A flag to match my fearless crew “I’ll fly some day,” he said.

He raised a stranger sail one day Ere many months had flown, Her spars were tall and her canvas lay Aslant to winds, soft-blown. And a flag of stars and crosses gay By the stranger ship was shown.

The young sea rover ceased to boast, Oh, still he stood as stone, Or the shadow pale of a homeless ghost In a world of flesh and bone. For the flag that flew on that homeless coast Was New Zealand’s flag, and his own.