America

You can't do that;
You can't go there;
You can't be this;
You can't say that;
The land of the free
and
The home of the brave
Is neither;
But, rather
a nation
of liars
and cowards
who've made hypocrisy
their national motto
and
homogeneity,
a way of life.

America,
where the poor
are in the way
of the rich
getting richer;
America,
where we'll honor
your cultural contributions,
but we stop short
of saying
that your life matters;
America,
where your tired
and huddled masses
are no longer
welcome;
America,
where you can believe
whatever you want,
as long as it's what we believe;
you can say whatever you want,
as long as
it's something we agree with.

America, America,
you who've killed your prophets
and castigate those
sent to you,
those who want better
for you--
how long
must the cry
to come together
as one nation,
out of many,
indivisible,
be uttered
before
we truly
stand united
as brethren,
lest we
make the mistake
of perishing together
as fools.
No one wants
the house to fall,
but we can expect it
to cease
to be divided.
That is
the choice
we must make;
this is
the path
we must undertake;
anything less
or else,
is unfortunate
and
unforgivable,
and God
help us
all.

© 2016 Joseph Powell