Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

For cocktail independence, I am not
a lush—and nor am I a sucker for
an armchair easy freedom; patriots
seem overrated party guests these days
and, introverted as I am, I lack
the energy to smile and wave my flag.
“Now shoot me if you must, this old grey head,
but spare your country’s bloody flag,” she said.
But what’s it mean ‘to spare’ when fervent wag
pride’s banners of a puppylove that smacks
of warfare fighting perilous? So raze
my privileged passport – my compatriots
are too uncounted; but I love you more,
America, than all these wars you’ve fought.

Good lines here. The problem with fighting all these long, draining, plastic flag-wavin', fist-pumpin', unnecessary wars is that they could leave us vulnerable or weakened if a real threat came along; not to mention that they degrade our collective spirit and psyche over time...