BY CHARLES ROBERT LINDHOLM
How free are the free
How brave are the brave
In America today?
Have we learned our lessons
From the past
Or are we doomed
To repeat our errors, again?
Have we learned nothing
From the mass killing
Of Native Americans?
Have we learned nothing
From the evils and racism
Of slavery that stained
The soul of our nation?
Have we learned nothing
From the fears and shame
Of putting Japanese American
Citizens in prison camps?
Have we forgotten our nation
Was founded by immigrants
Fleeing persecution
For their religious beliefs?
Won’t our faith and belief
In the values we claim to hold
Allow us to grant
“Liberty and Justice to all”?
When we quote
The articles
The verses
The documents
And “The Book”
We say we love
Are they just empty
Meaningless words
From hypocrites and pretenders?
From our families and churches
And our communities and towns
To the great states across our land
We are “not strong”
We are “not free”
We are surely “not brave”
If we cannot stand and protect
The weakest,
The vulnerable,
And the oppressed
Among us
Don’t sing songs
And quote
“America, Love it or Leave it”
To me
If you live in fear and hatred
Of my fellow citizens
Because of their race, religion
Sexual orientation or ethnicity
You don’t deserve
To waive the American Flag
Or say the “Pledge of Allegiance”
If you don’t believe in
“Liberty and Justice for all”
America is “not strong”
Just because we are mighty
America is not brave or just
If we give in to fear
My fellow Americans
Be not afraid!!
Keep steel in your spine
Keep an open mind
And courage in your heart
With a love for one another
Keep this country
“The Land of the Free
and the Home of the Brave”
We are all Americans!
Copyright © 2017 Charles Robert Lindholm – All Rights Reserved
Poet's Corner 