Pages

Saturday, July 04, 2015

Star Spangled Bender

Oh, say can you see
through the cons and the fright,
how so loudly we failed
to make real our past dreaming?

All the hype and fast cars
made us think we were right,
as our futures we botched
we gave in to fresh scheming.

And do we even dare
in the mirror, to stare,
and dispute, if not fight,
that we don't even care?

We'll pay if that star spangled banner
if only for a few waves,
o'er the land of the greed
and the home of the slaves.



22 comments:

  1. The truth of much of our history and present.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OUCH! Cynicism based on reality, I fear.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my, you have spared no mercy. Our North American lifestyle, whose cost is becoming increasingly apparent.

    ReplyDelete
  4. And do we even dare
    in the mirror, to stare,
    and dispute, if not fight,
    that we don't even care?

    These lines, they make me contemplate... not just about freedom...

    Leo @ I Rhyme Without Reason

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmmmm... :-)
    ZQ

    ReplyDelete
  6. You're brave! Well penned.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I second Rosemary...wowzers...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4:51 PM

    Ha ha. This is awesome. :) Fantastic title! So clever.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, bold and, sadly, a little too close to the mark!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Different take on the Star Spangled Banner. No, we are not perfect but neither is anyone else.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beyond wordsmithing, you have morphed into word bender! So very & wonderfully cynical, soaked in sonorous sarcasm, dipped in the devil's dew, you courageously speak big Truth through the smiling lips of levity.

    ReplyDelete
  12. the land of the greed
    and the home of the slaves. ... ouch - that is painful
    it's sad to see sometimes how some words were emptied of their meaning during the years and even turned into the contrary - the good thing is that every single person within a nation can make a difference and help that those stars shine brighter again

    ReplyDelete
  13. The hope and ideals of any anthem is often shattered by reality... I just hope the anthem mark true ideals... and not false history.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You've written the bitter truth. It's painful to see it in writing with our anthem as the tune. I hope it's rewritten some day with a sweeter truth.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yes.. sadly.. it seems.. Freedom is
    Forgotten.. Lost. for so Many..
    and
    caDilLac's
    drive
    on..:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well, yes.....good points.

    ReplyDelete
  17. reading it for the second time & i think "the land of the greed" is everywhere...bold lines...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Star spangled "bender" 'twas a drinking song, after all. But don't drag our flag in the gutter...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous2:46 PM

    Ouch! Too true that often what we sing or speak is so different from what we live. If nothing else, hopefully your words are a rallying cry to do better!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Our society in Australia is close enough to yours for this to resonate. It's a terrific poem, pulling no punches and brilliantly crafted.

    ReplyDelete
  21. PS Couldn't get linky right; mine is here: ttp://passionatecrone.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/who-come-waltzing-matilda-with-me.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. honest criticism can help to heal and improve oneself

    Forged from the love of liberty
    my post was too late for the DVerse linky

    much love…

    ReplyDelete