What We Fight For

When I was young like a day at dawn,
I had a bright view of this nation,
Where Equal opportunity was a reality,
And you achieve your dreams through tenacity.

But as I aged, the thick veil was lifted,
And I saw the truth of my world.
The inequality that was once hidden was blatant,
Creeping into every conceivable corner of the country.

There are the gluttonous, crooked figures
At the top who stuff their overflowing pockets
While those struggling beneath them waste away,
Pitted against each other like dying dogs.

There are the beaming, gleeful citizens
Who hold their heads high as they
Willfully walk over those who happened
To be born with a skin deemed too dark.

And there are the brave, gracious ones
Who give life to us all, only to lose it all.
They are tossed to the side like trash
As if they have contributed nothing.

The battle against this may seem impossible,
But the suffering surrounding us gives strength.
The fight ahead of us will be long,
But our willpower will last longer,
So we fight on.