I am always proud when I exit my private polling booth.
To get there, I walk between candidates’ signs,
show I.D., fill out a ballot, watch my paper ballot
slide into the machine, await its successfully recorded
message, slap an I Voted! decal onto my vest,
lift my head high, and walk out.
After all... so many worked and died for this democracy.
They work still and will believe until the end.
After all... so many throughout the world cannot
do what I just did.
After all... my father landed on Omaha Beach for this.
After all... forces are at play to bring Ukraine to its knees,
Navalny to his death, and democracy to ruin.
I still believe in us.
After all the many young and spiteful congressmen and women
walk our Capitol’s halls, spewing hate, sucking up greed.
After all profess to understand government, yet have no clue
about how it works, nor possess a will to learn.
After all the verbiage they shout through speeches, they
lack a critical gene that helps them to be critical and think.
They lack a will to listen, a drive to understand, compassion to act.
After all that has been done for me, for us.
After all the forces set upon us to destroy,
how can I not cast my vote, lift my head high,
and think, It doesn’t get any better than this.