A 4th of july poem

as you sit there with your sparklers
and look up at the sky
as fire burns and things explode
and light begins to cry

And why?
tears of light on stardrenched sky?

because what did you think would happen
when someone takes a stand
and stands up to the man
to fight for his land
where every man
is free
and every wo man
has the right to be free

and when people fought
so you could be taught
to listen
and to pledge allegiance
to a piece of dyed cloth
dyed the same color
as the sky is right now,
dimpled with weeping falling stars

and above the roar of the rockets
and below where they explode
rises the noise of
contentment

for one day, forget the small faults of the nation
go have fun.
chuck a frisbee at the sky
watch it come down, call it a boomerang,
and laugh, like you just fought for freedom from the strongest military force in the world
and won
with just a couple of muskets
and a dream.

the founding fathers
celebrate
vicariously.