Those Ragged Flags

There was a flag, ragged flag it was
It made me wonder, as I walked on by
Why keep this flag there, in such a state
People complained, but still it hung high

They asked this man, why he kept it up
Then he told the story of his deported son
Two tours in Iraq and now he had return
So the flag stayed high until he came home

And then I had heard of another tale
This one was told, instead, by a mother
Though, it did not have such a happy end
Death, it seemed, had brought them together

Makes me ask how many such tales there are
And of the number of ragged flags that fly
And how many flags will never come down
How many mothers and fathers have and will cry

We look at the numbers of deaths in a war
How many of us only see those bad numbers
How many of us can truly ever understand
I, myself, can't really bring the words together

I can only say that throughout the ages
There are soldiers leaving home to go to war
How does one truly say the words "thank you?"
To people so brave to go to the enemy's lore

What words are there to truly express this feeling
This feeling of pride in my soldiers give all, the end
I can't think of anything, but to show my pride
I guess I'll just pray, honor, and hope other's listen