Desert Dweller

It’s time to cauterize the flag,
prepare the fabric for new symbols.

No more untrue blue.
No more blood red.
No more bleached white.

It’s time for a flag of human colors.
Pink, brown, yellow, tan—
unbleached colors that don’t hide bruises.

A flag of friendship.
A flag of diversity.

It’s time to redesign.

No more straight lines.
No more uniform stars.

Let it be a flag of colors
looking up to the stars
with feet planted on solid ground.

A constellation—
of laughter and working hands—
family and friends savoring
steaming soup in a snug kitchen.

A flag of inclusion.
A flag of compassion.
A flag of wealth and health for all.

Let’s paint over the red, white, and blue
with colors that scream when they’re angry,
cry when they’re sad
and sing with truth and pride.

© 2026 Bruno Talerico
16/365
Images generated with AI.