by Scot Siegel
"Some things in the world have not already happened." --William Stafford
There is an odd country beyond Democracy
where few live but many look in and
ask about visas; that country
has no borders--
Their flag, the color of wind, never flies at
half-mast; their national anthem, called
conversation, changes daily
depending on the weather--
This unknown country has no army;
its citizens, even the littlest children,
are allowed to vote; and their votes
count twice--
Did I mention, in this country,
they celebrate Independence Day
every twenty-four hours,
even in the dead of winter!
Scot Siegel is an urban planner and poet from Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he volunteers with the Friends of William Stafford. His poems have previously appeared on The New Verse News, The Sunday Oregonian, Open Spaces Magazine, and Red River Review, among others.