Anthem

on day one, they told me:

"Welcome To The Land Of The Free, The Home Of The Brave"

where you're free

free to sleep and eat and work and play

and read and write and think and feel

and believe what you will

as you please.

someone once said

you must trade your liberties for security

but what did he mean?

i figured it out

7,665 days later.

i am 21 years old.

i work a 9-5 dead-end job on minimum wage

that's $7.25 i won't get if i'm late

i have taxes and 401ks and bills to pay

living paycheck to paycheck till there's no life left.

they called it

"Capitalism" -- 

"The American Dream"

if This is America, help me, please:

where is your Land Of The Free, 

and all of your Brave --

the ones who will not conform to the "American Way"

and are not afraid

to speak up

and stand out

go against the grain

and pave their own way?