[in these united states]
I don’t feel it today
far from patriotic as I’ve
ever been
driven away by an extremism
I’d no idea existed
in such deep-rootedness
[but of course in retrospect
how could I have not known]
democratic seems to be
more & more like a word anymore
one I came across
when I was naive
& eager to learn
one that I took for granted
like freedom & liberty
whatever the hell those two mean
the killings & the kidnappings
drug dealings & human trafficking
they don’t take a day off
not on sundays when so many
enjoy the democratic sun or rain
and especially not on the
fourth of july
in these united states
july two thousand twenty-two
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
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