It was a stormy night.  
But our flag was still there
as the war drums beat
and the children came out
wearing plastic bags to protect
their instruments

Rain slanted in the Friday night lights
The fake grass field was slick like ice skating
Our National Anthem was dutifully sung
as we stood and worshiped our flag
and were reminded of the violence of our beginnings
and felt a surge of pride for the blood and death
spilled over two centuries ago
that has allowed this war in a small town
to occur on the territories once inhabited by
annihilated civilizations whose dead languages
haunt this place

The soldiers came out.
Young boys trying to look brave
When I watched my first war,
in my own small town
a boy was paralyzed from the neck down
and can today use one hand in a limited way

I am taking tickets and freezing
Getting a cold as surely as my body
feels as if it is freezing up
but there is no rain date this is too important
and the ambulance waits outside
Last week a boy's hand was crushed for this glory
into a little pieces
They have a new leader now and the show goes on
It is so important

It is our favorite sport
It is violent
It excites us, unites us
And when the other team scores I privately
cheer
So this can end
And wonder, what might be done
in the age of scarcity with the resources
that run this war
and how I wish, it wasn't so important to us