Three Word Wednesday requires participants
to use the three words of the week in a composition.
The words this week were badge, liability and darken.
That Wretched Cloth
The drive to bear the nation’s flag
On car and towel and lawn
Displays the type of ignorance
From which distrust is born.
It is a liability
To wave that wretched cloth;
Where rational thought’s concerned
It leads to mental sloth.
It darkens the national heart
To a shadow of deep fear,
A shallow tribal barrier
To hide behind and jeer.
But emblems are all external,
And foolishly applied:
We share a common humanity—
A badge that’s worn inside.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2013
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Someone across the road from me still has their Christmas decorations up on the balcony...I think I will report them to politically correct police!
ReplyDeleteReally? Why?
DeleteFor inciting religious hatred and discrimination by upsetting the atheists and non Christian community.
DeleteI have an old beach towel with a flag on it somewhere. Must burn it along with my copy of the Satanic Verses . It could have me arrested!
Troublemaker.
DeleteNo not really..just drawing attention to the deranged extremism of the politically correct faddist.
DeleteSomeone who is too lazy to take down their Xmas decorations (they'll be back up in the shops soon) is a "politically correct faddist"? How does that work?
Delete?..Sigh..it's called innuendo, subtlety...never mind...we are not on the same page!
DeleteHa!
DeleteBearing the nation's flag on car and towel and lawn is one thing, but at least they can be changed. The trend to have flags and national symbols as a tattoo worries me more. Recently I read that the cars/homes which display the flag are most likely to be owned by people with strongly racist attitudes. Sad, and unsurprising.
ReplyDeleteA brilliant piece - thank you.
I am being of a higher caste to you and am taking offense that you are being presumptuously familiar with my lineage, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWell, I hadn't had you in mind at the time, I confess, but in theory yes.
DeleteOh, yes, patriotism only separates us. It leads to extremism, as you say brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of towels and t-shirts has me thinking of the beach and a cool glass of Pinot grigio...
ReplyDeletebut in all seriousness, the last line was my favorite,
"A badge that’s worn inside"
Lovely, my dear Mr. Newbery.
The ending says it all:)
ReplyDeleteEmblems are all external...
ReplyDeleteI think that someone who has to advertise their belief, whatever it may be, and sing it from the rooftops, is probably more concerned with others knowing they hold that belief then them actually holding it.
enjoyed. wish i had the confidence to explore politics more often in my own work.
ReplyDeleteYes everyone does share a common humanity....and that is the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your link in Poetry Pantry weekly. I hope you will be able to make some visits as well, as eventually morale drops for those who are regular responders....
Deceptively light and lively - a thoroughly enjoyable read of a profound commentary :)
ReplyDeletethe shared humanity...that is def the common factor...though the one often overlooked as we find new ways to seperate ourselves in our symbols...
ReplyDeletePatriocentric displays are probably necessary for some so that they can keep track of what it is they believe in, but 'the badge inside', that is the signpost of the conscious, the aware and growing. This one was a pleasant surprise.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, I hate the way patriotism can used as racism and for exclusion
ReplyDeleteI like the badge inside. I also like the emblems--lots of them--side by side, not that I have put up a flag since it became a test of citizenship in 9-11. Too many friends were bending to bullying and hanging flags to be safe, and I was ashamed of us.
ReplyDeleteHi, J.
ReplyDeleteThe poem rings true in the last verse. I believe it stands alone as well. Thanks.
I so love the badge of common humanity worn inside. That says it all, kiddo.
ReplyDeleteGreat ending! Vuong.
ReplyDelete