American Dream

Georgie crossed the Delaware
and Tommy wrote some pretty words
Benny flew electric kites
Alex pissed off Aaron Burr

Sammy sank some British tea
the Redcoats took exception
we beat them down at Yorktown
and stumbled in a new direction

Lewis & Clark went off on a lark
led by an Indian maiden
with baby steps we spread out West
in search of a greener haven

We the People wanted everything equal
for everyone but a few
the 3/5ths men & the Indians
didn’t quite get their due

Mason & Dixon didn’t cause the friction
between the North & the South
but they defined the battle line
as if that was ever in doubt

Abraham was an honest man
so he could not live that lie
Jeff kept counting on Bobby
don’t let that Lost Cause die

Gettysburg really struck a nerve
Atlanta, she burned to the ground
the 3/5ths men were free then
to find what pittance could be found


We the People wanted everything equal
for everyone but a few
the Irishmen & the Chinamen
didn’t quite get their due

Give us your tired, some skills required
give us your hungry & poor
The Land of Opportunity
is nothing less & nothing more

Tuesday grew ever blacker
till Frankie cut a brand New Deal
unafraid of fear itself
Ike fought the Nazi heel

Johnny was a profile in courage
Marty had a wonderful dream
Ronnie promised it would trickle down
but it only swam upstream

We the People wanted everything equal
for everyone, not a few
but those stingy uppercrusters
took more than they were due

* * * * * * * * * *

It was a beautiful experiment
but really we were just naïve
the best laid plans of mice & men
eventually succumb to greed



Bryans Road, MD
10-1-2020