by David Radavich
Can we be independent
together? It is
a contradiction
devoutly to be wished.
Parades, floats, marching
bands, twirling batons,
tricolor costumes,
fireworks
in the festive key.
Much of our food
is the same—
grilled, between buns,
sided by slaw, beans,
beer and boasting,
a ball tossed
with betting, servers
bustling as bees.
Ironic how we choose
the same means
to be ourselves
and free—
can shared rituals
save a divided land?
Among David Radavich's poetry collections are two epics, America Bound and America Abroad, as well as Middle-East Mezze and The Countries We Live In. His latest book is Unter der Sonne / Under the Sun: German and English Poems from Deutscher Lyrik Verlag.