"Don't Step On Old Glory"
Submitted by: Celine Rose Mariotti
Category: Poetry
My poem "Don't Step On Old Glory" is one of many patriotic poems included in my latest poetry book entitled, "Red, White and Blue".
It is a collection of patriotic poems about the wars, the soldiers, the flag, the Presidents, former members of Congress, the policemen, the firemen, the paramedics and 9/11. If you'd like to order the book, you can contact me at my e-mail: celinem@aol.com.
My Dad, Peter J. Mariotti was a Korean War Veteran and a Purple Heart Veteran. My Uncle, Dominic Iannotti was a World War II Veteran and a recipient of the Bronze Star. My other Uncle, Tony Iannotti was also a World War II Veteran.
Here is my poem "Don't Step On Old Glory"
Don’t Step On Old Glory
I’ve been around
For many years
My stars and stripes
Have seen many tears,
I like to fly,
Above I can see,
And I know just why
Why I cry when I look
Down at you,
My color red is getting redder,
Too many of you are dying needlessly
If it were a war
I would be proud of you,
But you’re killing each other
For no reason at all
No my friends this is not
What Old Glory stands for
How can you desecrate this land?
Is there anything at all you understand?
How did you all go astray?
America is not supposed to be this way
Don’t you know where I’ve been?
I was there when Francis Scott Key wrote
Our National Anthem,
I was there at Gettysburg,
I was there when they buried Lincoln,
I was there when we lost our boys
On Flanders Field,
I was there when our boys landed on Normandy,
I was there when Kennedy was laid to rest,
I’ve been there through all the times when
We were put to the test,
I will keep waving on
I will never stop flapping in the breeze
Don’t step on Old Glory
And don’t ever set me aflame again
I stand for freedom, liberty and justice
Take good care of me.
Celine Rose Mariotti
About the author:
Born in Derby, CT, and a lifelong resident of Shelton, CT. Celine is a graduate of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT majoring in Business Administration with a minor in English. Since a child, she always loved to write and when she was a senior in High School she began sending my work to publishers. Her first poem appeared in Night Roses in 1991, and her second poem appeared in Green’s Magazine of Canada in 1991. Since then, her work has appeared in many literary magazines around the USA and even in India, Australia, England and Scotland. Early Bird Publications of India published a primary textbook of essays on the Presidents. Celine has had numerous books published. Among them are “I Have a Friend of Jupiter”, “Minister’s Shoes”, “Minister’s Corporate Escapades”, “The Kidnapping of Senator Andy Thompson” and “The Murder of Secretary Judd Cane”. She is also published in the Goose River Press Anthology.