god bless

taking the bus ‘cross the midwest

'cause hell, we’re just that american 

that long bus— ya know the one where 

poor people worry over crosswords and bills 

while windows

streaked with bug splatters

look out on white-washed barns,

flat amber waves

so damn american 

makes you wanna cry

look how tall that corn grow

ready to be smashed into syrup

added to soda drinks

adding to childhood obesity

but look how it grow

so straight and proud

bet it’s voting for mr. trump

can’t be anything but american

looking as good as that

spacious skies abound

just like that promised american dream

reaching unlimited from sea to

shining sea— but please before

pursuit of said dream

match skin and sex to our

blessed forefathers

our forever saints 

washed in lady liberty’s virginal blood  

saw a homeless with a cardboard sign,

don’t he know it ain’t all hopeless?

there’s purple mountains majesty

just on the other side he only 

got to get up and look for them—

but still, god bless 

this really gets me going, ya know?

riding those american roads paved 

with tax dollars—

roads so strong and black

the line cutting thin ‘cross america’s beautiful

back, showing it who’s boss

because we owe it everything

and it owes us even more.