Half Mast

The flag is half-mast again.

Stars and stripes

gave proof through the night

and the flag is still there.

Not for the land of the free

or the home of the brave,

just the dead and the gone.

That fucking banner.

So much power,

so much hope.

For what?

Star spangled suffering

is all that it brings now.

A shell of what it once was,

now corrupted and crumbling.

The flag is still there,

but it dangles in the air,

begging to fall 

and be swept away.

It’s halfway there now.

The flag is half-mast again,

I wonder whose child is dead today.

About the Author

Ryan Hiemenz is a Philadelphia native with a strong adoration of all things poetry and fiction. Aside from writing and reading, Ryan loves to spend his time surrounded by memes and comedy. He is always looking to make others smile in any way that he can! As an editor for Quiddity, he has been given the opportunity to read and enjoy all of the brilliant pieces of your work!