Grand Canyon

i love my country

by which i mean

i am indebted joyfully

to all the people throughout its history

who have fought the government to make right

where so many cunning sons and daughters

our foremothers and forefathers

came singing through slaughter

came through hell and high water

so that we could stand here

and behold breathlessly the sight

how a raging river of tears

cut a grand canyon of light

yes, i've bin so many places

flown through vast empty spaces

with stewardesses whose hands

look much older than their faces

i've tossed so many napkins

into that big hole in the sky

bin at the bottom of the atlantic

seething in a two-ply

looking up through all that water

and the fishes swimming by

and i don't always feel lucky

but i'm smart enough to try

cuz humility has buoyancy

and above us only sky

so i lean in

breathe deeper that brutal burning smell

that surrounds the smoldering wreckage

that i've come to love so well

yes, color me stunned and dazzled

by all the red white and blue flashing lights

in the american intersection

where black crashed head on with white

comes a melody

comes a rhythm

a particular resonance

that is us and only us

comes a screaming ambulance

a hand that you can trust

laid steady on your chest

working for the better good

(which is good at its best)

and too, bearing witness

like a woman bears a child:

with all her might

born of the greatest pain

into a grand canyon of light

i mean, no song has gone unsung here

and this joint is strung crazy tight

and people bin raising up their voices

since it just ain't bin right

with all the righteous rage

and all the bitter spite

that will accompany us out

of this long night

that will grab us by the hand

when we are ready to take flight

seatback and traytable

in the upright and locked position

shocked to tears by each new vision

of all that my ancestors have done

like, say, the women who gave their lives

so that i could have one

people, we are standing at ground zero

of the feminist revolution

yeah, it was an inside job

stoic and sly

one we're supposed to forget

and downplay and deny

but i think the time is nothing

if not nigh

to let the truth out

coolest f-word ever deserves a fucking shout!

i mean

why can't all decent men and women

call themselves feminists?

out of respect

for those who fought for this

i mean, look around

we have this

yes

i love my country

by which i mean

i am indebted joyfully

to all the people throughout its history

who have fought the government to make right

where so many cunning sons and daughters

our foremothers and forefathers

came singing through slaughter

came through hell and high water

so that we could stand here

and behold breathlessly the sight

how a raging river of tears

is cutting a grand canyon of light