the first sign of spring
an orange-red breasted thrush
a sweet feathered friend
with a borrowed english name
our american robin
with the binomial tag
of turdus migratorius
which means migratory thrush
but to most english speakers
it sounds like something else
something to be avoided
or picked up off of our lawns
not this cheerful bird

so many shoulds
and so many coulds
not many ares

on my weary way
trudging through rough sodden fields
carrying a verse

people often say
war makes a boy a man
and i say *******

oh america
what have they done to your soul
these liars and frauds

silly old gander
all puffed up and parading
with his store bought love

sometimes your problems
are so familiar
that you can't see them