Loud & Proud

As a child, I’d get chills as I sang the Star Spangled Banner in school.
An overwhelming sense of freedom.
I felt inspired.
Every note I sang, louder and prouder.

Tall and mighty I stood.
Pressing my tiny innocent hand against my heart as I recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Each time, Louder and prouder.

Tall and mighty I stand.
With shaking hands clasped in front of me.
As I hear a melody that has become haunting with words, now ambiguous.

A simple morning routine.
Forced obedience to the untrained mind.

These are the chills behind our unheard thoughts.

A modern-day horror film where “In God I Trust” has become a symbol of corruption disguised as religion, and “The Land of the Free” was a play on words by a slave-owning lawyer who only freed the slaves that were of “no value” to him.
Stipulations attached.

Monumental corruption of 1812.

A slave stitched flag flown high in the sky.

As they wave it in front of the building that praises our downfall. Their helping hand is rarely heard, never seen.

Is this what we represent?

"We the people" … are struggling to stay above water.
"We the people" … are begging for honesty.

But I still sing every note. Loud and proud.

Now I know the Morse code written within.
That’s what they call harmony.