Dear American Dream,
Where’d you go?
I can’t see you
Through all the black smoke.
Are you hiding behind
The soldiers and
The innocent lives
That we take
Each and every day?
And they say
That there’s even a reason
There saying
Something about freedom.

I’m calling for you
But you can’t hear me
Over the screams
Of people crying for equality.
Crying out for mercy
We’re all run by the companies.
And I don’t use the word “evil” lightly,
But minimum wage isn’t
Enough to raise a family.
You can’t even raise a family
If you call yourself gay.
Yeah, this is what we call equality
Here in the USA.
Another killing on the news
Every other day.
But we can’t seem to figure out
How to take the guns away.
So children are dying
And we all look the other way.
How is this okay?

But there’s so much arguing
I can’t seem to get a word in
About how all the people
Who are trying to sneak in
To escape all the violence
In their homeland
Are being persecuted,
Dreams of a better life, executed.
But isn’t that what America stands for?
Getting a new chance, getting to start over.
But it seems that only the rich, white men
Are the ones who even get a chance.
Isn’t that kind of racist?
And classist? And sexist?
What kind of horrible joke is this?
America, the melting ***?
Like oil and water,
The rich men come out on top.

I could go on forever
But I got my point across.
We gotta make things right
Before we’re all lost.
It won’t be easy for any of us,
Especially the President in the White House.
He’s doing what he can
But it’s just not enough.
So we’ve gotta stand together
And shape up.
We’re at the bottom,
So the only way out is up.

Dear American Dream,
It seems to me
This generation’s playing a giant game
Of hide and seek.
But we will find you.
One day we’ll find you
Raise you up on our shoulders
And restore you
To what you used to be.
That’s the way
We’re gonna make this country free.
That is when this country
Finally
Will be free.

I’m withering from lack
Of your touch
From sudden withdrawal
Of your sunshine caress.
My skin is under
Solitary confinement
And you are far,
Far, far away.

In the darkness
I scrape the edges
Trying to find
A part of me.
A part of me
That doesn’t
Need your hand,
Need your touch

Tearing, scraping
Cutting away the fine lines
Until the rips
Become kisses
The cuts
Become caresses
The razor
Replacing you.

If you could only see
What you did for me.

You knocked me down
And flattened me,
So I raise me up
And strengthen me –
You're inadvertently
Making me love you
For hating me.

"I'm fine,"
She says.
As blood becomes visible
She tucks the scars under her sleeve.

"I'm fine,"
He says
He could stop any time
As he takes another drag, addicted to death.

"I'm fine,"
They say
As they turn to hide tears
Into the dark, their backs to the world.

I’m lighter than air
I’m darker than night
I’m the villain's best friend
And the school-kid’s delight
I know all
Though no one tells me
And I multiply
So I’m never lonely
The lies are my children
The rumors, my spouse
I spread like disease
Through every schoolhouse
So tell no one
My identity
But I am the secret
Yes, that’s me.

Swirling, Whirling,
Dancing, Breathing,
Upward, Dropping,
Sleeping, Dreaming,
Smiling, Sighing,
Laughing, Crying,
Vulture circling,
Living, Dying,
In and out,
Older, Younger,
Take a breath.
And dive back under,
Hear the Music,
Hear the Voice,
Taste the Poison,
Make a Choice.
Lover, Dreamer,
Dancer, Singer,
This is Life,
If you Choose to Linger.