American

Is character judged
By how many lies we
Can tell ourselves until
The truth is undeniable,
They used to talk about
The American character
As frontier bred to endure
The unendurable and still be
Able to laugh at fate move on
Keep striving for a better life and
I wonder if that is not still the so
Called American character for
A people who have believed
Then seen through the lies
Of politicians preachers
And false loves yet kept
Our sense of humor so
We can laugh at what
We have done learn
The lessons of our
Mistakes and get
On with making
This place we
Call America
A better way
To live than
Where we
Came
From so
Long ago
Across the
Oceans to a
New World and
If we have dragged
Some of our fears and
Shibboleths with us we are
Learning to let them go
And choose picnics
Burgers hot dogs
Over grilling
Witches,
Able to
Laugh
At ourselves
For believing the
Lies that sounded good
But were false flim-flam
From smooth talkers
We now see talk
Out of both
Sides of
Their
Mouth at
The same time
A sign of poor
Character
American
Or other
Always
With
The caveat,
We don’t just
Get even, we
Destroy utterly,
Then we make our
Enemies our friends,
Just go ask Southern
Fried Republicans
Bible thumpers
The Axis and
The Indians.