A festival flag becomes something wilder than decoration: a “free desperate symbol of battle and desire.” Fletcher describes it leaping and lunging up the halyards, full of restless energy. Below it, music churns; above it, the sky opens into clouds and dawn, suggesting endless effort and “everlasting day.” The speaker feels awe and excitement, but also a hint of danger—this is not calm patriotism. The flag seems connected to struggle, longing, and raw power. By the end, it stands high over seas and hilltops, “transmitting its lightnings,” as if it gathers all that energy and sends it back across the world. The mood is exultant, vast, and slightly fierce, turning a holiday moment into something mythic and alive.
Irradiations XXXIV — Summary
The flag let loose for a day of festivity; Free desperate symbol of battle and desire, Leaping, lunging, tossing up the halyards; Below it a tumult of music, Above it the streaming wastes of the sky, Pinnacles of clouds, pyres of dawn, Infinite effort, everlasting day. The immense flag waving Aloft in glory: Over seas and hilltops Transmitting its lightnings.