Sunday, July 04, 2010

AMERICA / AFGHANISTAN

by George Held


Lucky America , independent since 1776
Unlucky Afghanistan , ever dependent

America , land of the brave and free
Afghanistan , land of the brave and captive

America , from Atlantic to Pacific,
A bridge between Mexico and Canada

Afghanistan , landlocked,
A bridge between Iran and China

America , home of Joseph Smith,
Mary Baker Eddy, and Pat Robertson

Afghanistan , home of Zoroaster
And bulwark of the Caliphate

America , land of the Tea Party
Afghanistan , land of the Taliban

Contradistinctions and contradictions
Mark these four-syllable words that start with “A”

Yet Americans fight and die
For President Hamid Karzai
On another Fourth of July
And who’s to answer why?


George Held has collected many of his New Verse News poems in The News Today.
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