The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Books by Whitman
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THICK-SPRINKLED BUNTING.
THICK-SPRINKLED bunting! flag of stars!
Long yet your road, fateful flag—long yet your road, and lined
with bloody death,
with bloody death,
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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;
banner;
Dream'd again the flags of kings, highest borne, to flaunt unrival'd?
O hasten flag of man—O with sure and steady step, passing
highest flags of kings,
highest flags of kings,
Walk supreme to the heavens mighty symbol—run up above
them all,
them all,
Flag of stars! thick-sprinkled bunting!