America is a country of the free
There's equal rights for you and me
We've all heard it, but we all know that's not completely true
The land I call America may be a different place for you
This sweet land of liberty
Was marred by decades of slavery
As women fought for the vote and racism ran rampant
Some of this great country's thunder was dampened
As Native Americans were dragged from their home in chains
And the Japanese were thrown into camps in the Great Plains
I don't need to recount the stories, you've heard them
The stories of oppression and bloodshed that we all condemn
America has had a rough past, and the present certainly isn't perfect
We still have certain groups suffering from discrimination and neglect
But there's still some good in us, let's discuss it
Because while we aren't perfect, we're slowly getting the spirit
Like on 9/11 when the Twin Towers fell
And emergency workers rushed in despite the yells
412 emergency workers lost their lives in the fray
And we still applaud their bravery to this very day
And the freedom of speech that we enjoy in this nation
Is an envy in other countries ruled by dictation
There's so much diversity here, and while we're still figuring out how to handle it,
Where else can you live in one town yet meet every corner of the planet?
So yes we're still improving: at least we aren't denying our wrongs anymore
Say what you might about this country, it's gotten better than before
You can't fix things you don't notice, so keep coming with the criticism
But maybe while you're at it, don't completely lose you patriotism
I like how your poem calls out Americas wrong doings, but also mentions that we should be grateful for the freedom we have in this country. Sometimes we are quick to criticize wrong doings, as we should be, but we don’t have that same energy when it comes to appreciating the things we should truly be grateful for.
ReplyDeleteI love your poem! The structure of the poem is rhythmic to read and sounds nice, and the meaning of the poem is very powerful. I like how you mentioned historical events that deter from the American Dream to show that the ideals of the American Dream are not always available to everyone. Also, mentioning that the present isn't perfect either made your argument stronger, since it ties in the fact that the future has a long way to go to make the American Dream achievable by everyone.
ReplyDeleteNice job making it rhyme all the way through! I like how you celebrated America without sugarcoating it's history. I absolutely love your "Where else can you live.." line, it's so well done and it really encompasses the main values of America; diversity and acceptance. You spent a lot of time writing this poem, and it really shows! Good job!
ReplyDeleteAmazing job on your poem. I love when poems rhyme and you held the rhythm throughout your poem. It was interesting that you brought up the flaws in the American dream. Those who are forgotten and push down in the scramble for success. You did a great job looking at a different perspective of the American Dream.
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