Give me America

Give me America anyday because

I hear America bringing

politics gone mad

into process.

Just give it to me:

America.

Give me America anyday because

I see America clinging

to an old notion

of liberty.

Give me America anyday because

I still feel America flinging

the deadends of malice

into arcs of goodwill.

Give me America anyday because

I know America’s still singing

an old song, just with

a new beat.

You can’t beat

America.

Give me America anyday because

I can sight America winging

its way o’er terrains of pain

and strife.

It’s just life, y’all

to have to put up with

this stuff.

This stuff that’s goin’ down now:

them with their their guns and butter

vs. them with their lgbt muttering—

just give me America, you guys!

Give me America anyday because

I feel America clinging

to hope and justice

and even God

is still with us,

y’all.

King of Soul

In the Park at sunset

Late afternoon Washington Square september

people on green grass lolling recline laughing

hold hands layback chill.

Here come Deep basso fellow dark and confident

singing with no inhibition he

serenade folk in the park

makin rounds group to little group.

We on park bench in late gold sun,

black basso man he come our way with singing

on his mind.

Meanwhile ole sourpuss geezer on bench he wear

no sunshine but he say:

"He juz want some goddam money. He come ev day,

every dam day!"

And yet here come deep basso man wit white shirt bow tie vest

lookn sharp and ready

so I say:

"You know Ole Man River?"

"I only know the Paul Robeson version."

"The one you know-- tha's the one I want."

And so the wise man sing and he fill the ev'n air wi strong

song and he modulate into Irving classic version Ole Man Riva,

and he finish by sliding into Louie's What a wonderful world

with great vocal fortitude n excellence.

And by the sound of it the world be a betta place than was before, so I

lay the five spot in his hat.

Then ole geezer on bench he don say nothin, no beta than he was before.

Now I know there be two kinds men in world: them that do

and them that won't.

An life go on in Washington Square an I guess sun when down

juz after we left.



Glass half-Full

Sing, not fling, nor sling

I hear America flinging:

Fling, fling, fling;

sling, sling, sling,

Fling it high, sling it low.

Sling it muddly just for show.



Mud, mud, sling up some mud.

Fling it with a thud.

Sling it like a scud.

Fling it left, sling it right,

sling it 'til you fight.

It aint right; it's a muddy blight.

Maybe I'll take flight,

but where to go? Mexico?

Don't know.



See Jane go, see Dick go:

Go, Jane, go to your MSNB show;

Go, Dick, go to your Fox hole row.

Toe that party line.

Tote that picket sign.

Tow that barge; tote that bale.

Drag it 'til we fail.

Yell and scream and shout

'til the buzzards come winging out.

Rant 'til buzzwords turn their trend,

their fuzzy butts toward our bitter end.



Wait.



I hear Jesus' people singing.

Sing, sing, sing;

Let our praises ring,

bringing in God's created thing.

Fill us, Lord, while we sing.

We need not fling, need not sling.

We just sing; let our praises ring,

'til your kingdom you do bring.

Selah.