"Flags are bits of colored cloth that governments use first to shrink-wrap peoples brains and then as ceremonial shrouds to bury the dead."
A flag is a piece of fabric with distinctive colours and design, often flown from a pole and used for symbolic, signalling, or decorative purposes. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed on such pieces of fabric. The study of flags is known as "vexillology" from the Latin vexillum, meaning "flag" or "banner".
"Your flag and my flag, And how it flies to-day In your land and my land And half a world away! Rose-red and blood-red The stripes for ever gleam; Snow-white and soul-white— The good forefathers dream; Sky-blue and true-blue, with stars to gleam aright— The gloried guidon of the day; a shelter through the night."
"Fling out, fling out, with cheer and shout, To all the winds Our Countrys Banner! Be every bar, and every star, Displayed in full and glorious manner! Blow, zephyrs, blow, keep the dear ensign flying! Blow, zephyrs, sweetly mournful, sighing, sighing, sighing!"
"Bastard Freedom waves Her fustian flag in mockery over slaves."
"Uncover when the flag goes by, boys, Tis freedoms starry banner that you greet, Flag famed in song and story Long may it wave, old glory The flag that has never known defeat."
"A moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole, It does not look likely to stir a mans soul. Tis the deeds that were done neath the moth-eaten rag, When the pole was a staff, and the rag was a flag."
"Under spreading ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion."