Kim Stafford: American Crazy Quilt

To stitch together old glory right 

for these times that try men’s souls some 

blues Betsy might piece choice scraps 

like I cannot tell a lie about the melting pot

to set beside John Henry’s hammer ringing

twinkle, twinkle little bombs bursting in air, 

where oh say can you see, oh beautiful 

for spacious operation enduring freedom

is a mission accomplished after Enola Gay’s 

day of infamy over there is why we hold 

these truths to be as long as the rivers shall run, 

as in many one homeland security our great

national nightmare has been lynched, and 

the only good Indian reservation system

boarding schools taught the golden spike 

as manifest destiny, because the sea of buffalo 

homestead act planted the flag in the woods 

are lovely dark doodle dandy veteran sang 

my old Kentucky to mean ask not what mine 

eyes have seen the glory of the separate but 

equal right to choose our trespasses frankly, 

my dear, the plums were so sweet, but if you 

can’t lick ’em join the mob to survive the great 

depression, even though roses are red, violets 

are blue in the pursuit of happiness Hollywood 

is the only thing to fear shall yet endure.

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Copyright 2024 Kim Stafford. From As the Sky Begins to Change (Red Hen, 2024).

Kim Stafford is Emeritus Professor at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. He writes, teaches, and travels to raise the human spirit through poetry.