Productivity* And Potential Poem by lauren rogers

When asked my opinions on this place I call home
Just as anyone else who cares,
I have so much to say.
In poetry, though
When a line must be worth a thousand words
Or none at all
Asking for flattery by imitation
Is like asking an “American” for neutral compliance
So here we go

I do not love my country

Founded on greed and deception,
Overshadowed by a war for freedom,
And the unalienable rights of
Life* (to all humans)
Liberty* (on a reservation)
And the pursuit of happiness* (with a white-picket fence)

I* do not love my country

Through four score and seven years
Plus a hundred forty-five more
Pennies, nickels, and dimes
Are all that we are.
Love* is not a feeling
But a question, with one answer:
How much?

I do not love* my country

Wasted (on) wars over seas and mistrust,
Any help is delivered with a price
Used to fund destruction* (power) ,
To summon Uncle Sam and the troops
Who rescue the damsel
And stay for the after party
(The decorations match ours with an uncanny likeness)

I do not love my country*

*(some restrictions apply, offer available only while supplies last)
but

I love the countrymen (and women)

Those who are undefined yet underlined,
From the past who signed and resigned
To the present who decided never to quit
(From the mountains to the prairies)
And even to the future who, as of now,
Bring so much hope
(To the oceans white with foam)

I love their dreams

Of life,
Liberty,
And the pursuit of happiness:
Unbound by clauses and restrictions,
And where reading between the lines
Is looking at white (or yellowing) space;
And freedom
Is worthy of its name
(Not depriving others of theirs or impeding their efforts to obtain it)

I love my world

Seen through my own eyes,
Perceived through my philosophy
And acted upon by my religion (or distinct lack of it) .
The human feats I see
Of perseverance,
Friendship,
Knowledge,
And love…

Obstacles of human nature and ignorance
Overcome by all of the above
Make living (trying) worthwhile
And in doing so,

I love my country.