Stars for the States, stripes for the thirteen
White for purity and for the red and the blue
It’s Independence Day for the patriots
A day off from work
A day of sales for the conspicuous consumer
Fireworks for the little kid in all of US
A day of consumption for most of US
More of a time to forget
Rather than reflect on the true meaning of the day
From Francis Scott Key to Frederick Douglass
The meaning of the 4th of July
As numerous as the fireworks in the sky
Rejoice, Reflect, Regret, Remember
Take your pick on this national holiday
Forget, for now, the tarnished image of
The Other America
Or the proclamations of the charlatans who
Distort its meaning for political ends
Go fishing, take in a parade, drink beer
Watch a baseball game
For now… we can still bask in the ideal of America
It is a day for fun and forgiving
To float in a pool or lay in the shade
To eat burgers and dogs without guilt
In fact, it is our patriotic duty
It is the essence of our American-ness
But at some point during
This day of idealized frivolity
Make an honest assessment
Of where we stand as a nation today
Consider each star an unrealized goal
Each stripe, a wall that separates
US from true national unity
A true measure taken of how far
We have come and how far
We still have to go
Our imperfect Union is still
A work in progress
And this day above all others should
Embrace that simple reality.