The Poetry Corner

Thick-Sprinkled Bunting

By Walt Whitman

Thick-sprinkled bunting! Flag of stars! Long yet your road, fateful flag! long yet your road, and lined with bloody death! For the prize I see at issue, at last is the world! All its ships and shores I see, interwoven with your threads, greedy banner! Dream'd again the flags of kings, highest born, to flaunt unrival'd? O hasten, flag of man! O with sure and steady step, passing highest flags of kings, Walk supreme to the heavens, mighty symbol run up above them all, Flag of stars! thick-sprinkled bunting!