Sure wish I could go back to writing patriotic poetry ~ don’t you?

*****

Recorded Reading (1:50): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wqm92pmjfy02gmzykavdu/American-National-Treasure.mp3?rlkey=cnv9i0iawijle0lz00vaz770l&st=6bzenq8b&dl=0

*****

American National Treasure

I am a national treasure
Poetry readers agree ~
Let me tell you how my nation
Gladly honors me:

It doesn’t ever wish
Such treasure not be able see
So it guarantees
That I live in such poverty

And such dire defamation
Such humiliation
That it has to be
That I continue homelessly

The reason that it even
Have that freedom lets me
Is so I don’t point out
Unconstitutionality

Of “public housing” with a master
Lock behind its grim front desk
Yes, this treasure in the sweetest
Luxury we bask

With tear gas every morning
And airborne arsenic each night ~
Oh, my nation makes sure
My life’s nothing but delight!

It treasures every thought
And every statement ~ every peep ~
So much that it can’t bring itself
To let me fall asleep

Or if I do pass out
It will exert itself to see
That I do not remain that way
More than two hours or three

In order to ensure
That I won’t read publicly
It guarantees that I
Terrified am, daily,

Minute after minute ~
What that’s all about
Is making sure I’m too afraid
To be out and about

So spend life in a seven wide by
Fifteen foot long van
Making sure that to provide
Public uplift I never can

My food and water tainted is
My emails do not land
Oh, it’s a perfect joy to be a
“Treasure” in this land!

*****

This poet/editor is physically disabled, and lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level.

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