The year was 1944, and I was 21
A million miles from California, carrying a gun
My country sent me overseas to battle the Big Red
I found myself in Burma with a helmet on my head
The countryside near Sittaung is serene and peaceful ground
Where towering teak trees touch the sky and bamboo shoots abound
But on this day in '44, the sky was filled with fumes
The landscape stained with mothers' sons in bare, unearthly tombs
The victory was ours that day, I scanned the start terrain
A flash of color caught my eye across this fruitless plain
I knelt to find a piece of cloth beneath a fallen gun
I took it as a souvenir, as if I'd ever need one
The Allied Force prevailed and the war was winding down
And still I had the souvenir I'd picked up off the ground
The cloth turned out to be flag, a silken rising sun
I took it home to California when my tour was done
I showed the flag to friends and family, proof of how I'd served
I justified the Japanese had got what they deserved
But every time I took it out I felt a pang of guilt
I thought of someone’s growing boy, who'd grown up to be killed
I found out that the flag was made by someone's loving hand
To wish a strong and young soul well in Godforsaken lands
I found a name and wondered if that's all that did survive
And now Koju Muramatsu, I've found out that you're alive
I can't express the flood of thoughts that rivet through my head
For forty years I thought the soldier of the flag was dead
And now I've found out differently, I can't tell you how I feel
Today a souvenir of war became someone so real
Though common threads that bind us all afford the greatest cost
Regretfulness in retrospect won't make up for those lost
I hope this finds you well and strong, I pray you comprehend
That somewhere in this twist of time there's a newly humbled man
Your Rising Sun is shining bright in shimmering array
Your flag of hope, and love, and light
Returns to you this day
Flag of Hope
David Roth
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Lyrics by David Roth
A Little Something More Ahmed al-Khatib Air of the Dog American Car Another Day at Moses Brown Bake Sale Be Kind to Yourself Before I Die Camp Grenola Cape Cod Catherine and Georgia Cheesecake Community of Faith Cutter of Stone Digging Through My Closet Dragon To Butterfly Earth Ego Trip Elijah Everybody Fateful Intersection First Class Five Blind Men Foreign Guns Goodbye to My Dad Gush or Bore Halloween Hank & Hymie Heaven on Earth Holland How Do You Hold On To Love I Do Not Need A Bag I Have Learned I Would Fight For You John & Josie Just A Wall Kids Know Your Love Land of the Litres and Meters Legacy Lend Your Heart to Love Lipstick on the Mirror Little Christmas Song Long White Car Looking In For Number One Lost Wallet Waltz Lullaby Magic Pill Mailing List Manuel Gracia Mariner Fever May the Light of Love Meatloaf Moonlight Piano Favorites Morning Person My Work Day Never Go Together New House in Orleans Nights at the Chez Nine Gold Medals No Apologies One Day at the Gates Pearl Diver Playing Catch Practice Makes Perfect Rise We Will Rising In Love Rocket Science Rosa and the Three Ks Satyagraha Seconds and Thirds Seven Wonders Some Kind of Hero Someone Standing There Sounding Spacesuits Special Penny Subscriptions Susitna Taller Than His Hair Thank You, Mr. Ryan The Armor Song The Dream The Jordan Waltz The Rance of All Compassions The Saga of Freddie & Sam Things That Do Not Serve Me This Is The Year Those Two Times Three Signs Time For Bed Trying to Dance Two for One in Podunk Town Valentine in Panama Waltzing Imelda We Belong Together What Can I Do Will You Come Home You Remind Me Zip Cord Rip Code
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