A Great America – Poetry by Toni Payne.
I live in a country where
you are not just told to be all you can be
you are given the tools to do just that
I live in a country where
when things happen that are not right,
people don’t just sit back and ignore because it doesn’t affect them
I live in a country where
the voice of a child to help the homeless is not dismissed because she is too young
I live in a country where
charity is encouraged and oppression is discouraged
I live in a country where
when there is injustice dealt to a black man
both black and white will come together in protest
I live in a country where
irrespective of our differences, we stand together in times of tragedy
I live in a country where
most are compassionate and taught to be their brothers keeper
I live in a country where a nightclub shooting will bring out people
en-mass to donate blood, time and food, irrespective of their lifestyle differences
I live in country where
the six month sentence of a ****** causes mass outrage and protest
I live in a country where
the abuse of a child will cause mass public outrage
I live in a country where
irrespective of your social status or how much money you have, domestic violence is not tolerated
I live in a country where
a man can choose to preach hate, and the masses instead choose to accept love
I live in a country where
people care, people share, people speak for the weak
I live in a country where
people use their wealth to help, not to oppress
I live in a country where
animal lives are also important
I live in a country where
no matter how different we are
no matter how near or how far
no matter what differences we share
no matter what laws are not fair
one thing we all have in common is that,
in out own little way, with every passing day
we care for this great nation and want to make it a better place.
I could go on and on about what makes America great even with
it’s very visible imperfections
What makes America great to me you ask? –  The People
Who is America? What is America?
America is a melting *** of different people from different places
with their different cultures, different values, and different views
and someway, for the most part, most times,
we all manage to live in Harmony, sharing in the beauty of our differences.
From time to time, some of us will go against the grain,
and when that happens,
most of us will stand together – with love in our hearts because
United we stand, Divided we fall..
This to me is – A Great America.