Saturday, August 12, 2017

Carrying the Torch













We are the tired, the poor
at one time elevated
now we’re denigrated;
we watch the “disillusionist”
slam our front door.
Where are the promises
that called to our elders
who risked life and limb
to come to this shore?
Who raised up their families
despite any hardship,
now find they are ‘pink-slipped’
and welcome no more.

We need to get back to the basics once promised
we need to return to the truth at our core
where hard work’s rewarded
where cheating is thwarted
where bullshit and liars are shunned and ignored

She stands in the harbor, where some call her ‘Lady’
yet others are known to have called her a “whore”
this symbol of “Liberty“ who welcomes the masses,
this emblem of all who have come here before.
Hold high your lamp, oh, Symbol of Freedom!
Call out the losers, and those who’d abhor…
Remind them our strength is not just in numbers
but in our allegiance for all we stand for!
Remind us stand tall, and help the afflicted
ravaged by hunger, by thirst, or by war.
Help us remember that we are their beacons;
and that trust only comes when you build a rapport.
Just like all families, sometimes we bicker,
yet when push comes to shove we are hard to ignore;
for we’re so much better when we stand together
diverse but united, our country endures.


© Ginny Brannan 2017

2 comments:

  1. Yes! Yes, this! You're words fill my heart, Ginny.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hear, hear! This is perfect, esp considering the timing.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.