America

America the beautiful.

Where is the beauty?

On the faces of families

Reaching out their hands praying

That America will grasp them

And let them experience freedom for

The first time.  

Where is the beauty?

Downtown under that

Bridge, where children huddle

Close together in sleeping bags

While mothers and fathers

Scavenge for food

Knowing that they’ll come back

Empty.

Where is the beauty?

Underneath the standard for education,

Where kids finally make it to college,

Only to learn that they could never

Prosper, and end up leaving

Everything behind.

Where is the beauty?

Where is the freedom to live a healthy life?

Where is the freedom to get a higher education?

Where is the freedom to prosper?

America, this is what’s beautiful.

The smile of a child graduating

Knowing that they can succeed in life.

The tears of joy from a family

Stepping on the soil of freedom

Knowing that their lives aren’t

To be feared.

The laugh of a mother gripping

Her children close in front of a

House, with food in the kitchen.

America, that is beauty.