A Republic, If You Can Keep It

An idea for a new experiment, 

An idea called the US of A.

An idea, a belief, a conviction,

Born of an enlightened age.

An idea that creating a nation

Could really only mean one thing,

Laws have the consent of the governed,

Not an emperor, a minister, a king.

And the people cheered,

As the rebels veered

Into chamber, into battle, into field

And the King, he jeered

As the soldiers feared

That the treason had certain appeal.

The Redcoats, they started their marches.

Cornwallis, that genius of war,

Didn’t realize the farmers and their pitchforks

Had the convictions of soldiers in their hearts

That a free people wanted their choices

To be represented equally, fairly

Not a tyrant to dictate, no options

What the king thought the people would need.

And the British feared

While the rebels cheered

Washington won the war

And the Father led

No crown on his head

As the people did implore.

And a Constitution was written

That the people could change and amend.

To ensure that the will of the people

Would never come to an end.

They continued to add to the freedoms

The states and the people enjoyed.

And although there were some dark times

The nation prospered and grew.

And the leaders knew

As the nation grew

The people would grow complacent.

And the leaders realized

That they could tell lies

And the people would fight each other.

An so the experiment ended

The people no longer agree

No compromise, no debate, no rule of law

We’ve abandoned our beliefs and ideals.

Now whoever is in charge at the Capitol

Think it’s right to hold people down.

The tyrants took over the state houses,

The president wears a crown.

And the country cries

And the nation weeps

And the Founders look

Down in despair

And the people, oppressed

The people distressed

Goodbye to the US of A.

January 2017