JULY 4^th 2026

We muddled through
our 250^th sickened
by a draining swamp
that reflects our dismal
armada of presidential ideas
as military action fireworks
exploded in the skies
above another country’s
terrified schoolchildren
while at home indignant
pseudo-patriots
murdered young mothers
and innocent fathers
then lied to protect
each other’s pasts
as the rest of us
prayed that firefighters
and true Americans
will keep this country
safe from lightning strikes
and crazed cowards
who intend to burn it all down.
Oh, say can you see?

by Anne McCrady

NEWSLINKS: NPR, AP, MSNOW, CNN

AUDIOLINK: SoundCloud

Poet with a Press Pass is a series of news-related poems
written and recorded in real time by poet Anne McCrady
and produced by InSpiritry, beginninng in January, 2015.