Swords and Plowshares/The Pirate Flag
The Pirate Flag.png){kind=small}
I HAD an ugly dream last night,
And I was far away.
A-sailing on a man-of-war
Far up Manila Bay.
And as I cast a glance aloft
It made me stand aghast
To see a jet-black pirate flag
A-flying from the mast.
And I was far away.
A-sailing on a man-of-war
Far up Manila Bay.
And as I cast a glance aloft
It made me stand aghast
To see a jet-black pirate flag
A-flying from the mast.
And then around me fore and aft
The guns began to roar,
And flames sprang up and soon enwrapped
A village on the shore.
I took my glass and clearly saw
Women and children run,
While soldiers in the palms behind
Were potting them for fun.
The guns began to roar,
And flames sprang up and soon enwrapped
A village on the shore.
I took my glass and clearly saw
Women and children run,
While soldiers in the palms behind
Were potting them for fun.
Far to the left some dusky men
Fought bravely on a knoll,
But, overcome at last, they raised
A white rag on a pole;
Yet still the soldiers shot them down
And I could almost hear
Their laughter as they seemed to shout,
"No prisoners wanted here!"
Fought bravely on a knoll,
But, overcome at last, they raised
A white rag on a pole;
Yet still the soldiers shot them down
And I could almost hear
Their laughter as they seemed to shout,
"No prisoners wanted here!"
Then when the last defender fell
The men rushed in with glee,
And from each house they came with loads
Of plunder sad to see;
And soon we sent a boat ashore—
Blue-jackets and marines—
To get our share of loot and swag,
And spoil the Philippines.
The men rushed in with glee,
And from each house they came with loads
Of plunder sad to see;
And soon we sent a boat ashore—
Blue-jackets and marines—
To get our share of loot and swag,
And spoil the Philippines.
I turned and asked a sailor lad—
For now they stood at ease—
What pirates we might chance to be
Who plagued these summer seas.
"Oh, we're no pirates," he replied,
"Don't ask me that again;
This is a ship of Uncle Sam
And we are Dewey's men."
For now they stood at ease—
What pirates we might chance to be
Who plagued these summer seas.
"Oh, we're no pirates," he replied,
"Don't ask me that again;
This is a ship of Uncle Sam
And we are Dewey's men."
"But how is that?" I said once more;
"Where are our stripes and stars?
And does that inky flag up there
Belong to honest tars?"
"To tell the truth, it's rather queer,"
Replied embarrassed Jack,
"But something in the climate here
Has turned Old Glory black.
"Where are our stripes and stars?
And does that inky flag up there
Belong to honest tars?"
"To tell the truth, it's rather queer,"
Replied embarrassed Jack,
"But something in the climate here
Has turned Old Glory black.
"We wash her in the briny sea
And in the streams on land:
We scrub her with the best of soap,
And rub her in the sand;
And all our Chinese laundrymen
And all our laundry maids
Have tackled her, but still she looks
Black as the ace of spades.
And in the streams on land:
We scrub her with the best of soap,
And rub her in the sand;
And all our Chinese laundrymen
And all our laundry maids
Have tackled her, but still she looks
Black as the ace of spades.
"There's something in the climate here
That changes things around,
And what the reason of it is
We none of us have found.
And so we don't know what to say,
Or even what to think,
When people ask us what has made
Old Glory black as ink."
That changes things around,
And what the reason of it is
We none of us have found.
And so we don't know what to say,
Or even what to think,
When people ask us what has made
Old Glory black as ink."
Just then the boat came back from shore
Well laden down with spoil—
With goods that told of many years
Of Filipino toil;
And Jack ran off to get his part,
Nor came he ever back,
And I awoke and never learned
What turned Old Glory black.
Well laden down with spoil—
With goods that told of many years
Of Filipino toil;
And Jack ran off to get his part,
Nor came he ever back,
And I awoke and never learned
What turned Old Glory black.