youngling

it is a young nation
though already acts tired
not
that the athletics aren’t impressive
less
investment in demagoguery
which might seem
energetic
though in reality
has an enervating effect

don’t we want
to be
this nation anymore
all
the sacrifice
for good and for ill

pushing natives west
and killing them
with ease

and by the way
once they saved our lives

and then
enslavement
easy
and if not easy certainly
ongoing

buying and selling of people
and then the privilege
to treat the purchase
miserably

against a definition of humanity

still
we had good ideas
some that some said made common sense
ancient of days
and new

ideals of democracy
and a belief in representation
though
governing of ourselves

we
could believe in balance
so much land
to destroy
so much to preserve
and so parameter
everyone

we can’t say we’re a good nation
not with evils and temptations following

we can’t go back
do not think that though maybe
forward
to new basics

we have a chance

we have improved
in fact
there is much that’s likable
and
on the board are all those good principles
that nobility could not afford
but
without that
we can

today
and toward
the present that we have
with old and new belief
in the future of us
all

c l couch


photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash