<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Service Flag</h1><p class="byline"> J. E. EVANS <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The Sovereign Visitor</span></p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">SAY, Pa! What is a service flag? </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I see them everywhere.</p><p class="line">There's little stars sewed on them;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">What are they doing there?</p><p class="line">Sometimes there's lots of little stars,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And sometimes just a few. </p><p class="line">Poor Widow Jones has only one--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I saw her crying, too.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">My darling boy, those little stars</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Upon a field of white,</p><p class="line">Are emblems of our glorious boys</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Enrolling for the right.</p><p class="line">The border, as you see, is red, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Which represents their blood;</p><p class="line">The stars are blue, the heavenly hue;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The white is always good.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Each star you see means some brave boy</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Has left his hearth and home</p><p class="line">And gone to fight for Freedom's cause</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Wherever he may roam.</p><p class="line">So when you see a lot of stars</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Lift up your heart with joy,</p><p class="line">And when you see a single one</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Pray for some mother's boy.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">They go away, those gallant lads,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Across the wreck-strewn sea; </p><p class="line">They go to pledge their country's faith</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For God and liberty</p><p class="line">The Stars and Stripes they bear aloft </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To join the British flag,</p><p class="line">And, with the colors of brave France, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">They mean to end "Der Tag."</p><p class="line">And soon, my boy, that service flag,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Born in the nation's heart,</p><p class="line">Will show the world that, when unfurled,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">We proudly take our part. </p></div></body></html> · Great War