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| Painting by Zimand, 1991 |
Red-white-and-blue
was my swaddling at birth.
Frozen in blood, pale skin and night sky,
the
colors grew heavy as time flew by.
Oh! to reroute America! to rise
up way
beyond what Walt Whitman sings,
out from the history our limited flag brings.
From
its greed, thievery and violence
we
can unbind, pull out the stitches that
keep
us un-kind, often brutal and flat—
Let’s
round the pieces in-to a balloon
not
bound by past mistakes, stripes or scars
but
able to travel as high as stars.
or
skew the rectangle till it’s a diamond
and
stripe a tail on its starry field
to
see what unlimited height can yield.
Oh! to renew America! to rise
up way beyond the liberty bell’s song
beyond the history our flag holds too long.
Red-white-and-blue
was my swaddling at birth.
Gifted
with red blood, many skins and skies
the
symbol must change as time goes by.
For Sumana's prompt
Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Rising Above
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
© 2017 Susan L. Chast
WOW! This is a stunner. Fantastic, Susan. And so timely. The weight of that flag is indeed heavy.
ReplyDeleteA terrific poem Susan... absolutely wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is beautiful, Susan. It's almost like a plea.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fine, patriotic poem Susan. I like its call to rise!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThis is a stirring poem, full of patriotism and hope. Well said.
Grand poetic invocation. My favourite stanza
ReplyDelete"Let’s round the pieces in-to a balloon
not bound by past mistakes, stripes or scars
but able to travel as high as stars."
much love...
Love it love how you want to rise above by skewing and rounding in different shapes. Absolutely love the last stanza
ReplyDelete"Oh to renew America to rise up way beyond the liberty bells song beyond the history our flag holds too long" Powerful and amazing line Susan! Such a wonderful message and a time it is needed most!!
ReplyDeleteDear Dr Susan deep love of land overflows as the desire to see a brighter peaceful future keeps stirring and hoping..may your land be the best..may we all see the Light of truth friendship equality and trust between nations amen..a truly great poem..must be read worldwide...https://eternallights.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/for-poets-united-midweek-motif-peace-what-is-peace/
ReplyDelete"Gifted with red blood, many skins and skies
ReplyDeletethe symbol must change as time goes by.".....Let this be the song of humanity. A fantastic poem Susan. Rhythm works magic here.
An anthem for our times. And I'm taken by the rhyme scheme as well. Great write, Susan.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to realize that one's country is not what you thought it was. Emnity, discord and mistrust are strange bedfellows in the land of the free. Hopefully time will sooth all bias and emnity and reason and trust will win through.
ReplyDeleteThat is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting write of red, white and blue.
ReplyDeleteI think what we need is not a new symbol (there's nothing inherently wrong with the American flag), but to invest our old symbol with new meaning. It seems to me that your poem is pointing in that direction.
ReplyDeleteI think there are a lot of unresolved problems from the past in your country.Your nation's wealth was built on the backs of slaves..This wrong can never be made right but attempts must be made by granting justice and reparations to their descendants.I don't think there will be any harmony until this issue is addressed and resolved.It has been ongoing for far too long and the consequences can only bring upheaval and unrest for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Susan! We really need that renewal. Badly. I hope we can find a way.
ReplyDeleteMay what you wish come to pass!
ReplyDelete