A Nation Cries Out

Shed blood, protection of innocence, a badge of honor An oath was made Defense of liberties and freedoms Restrictions placed, standards no more Chaos and anarchy knock at our doors Forlorn morals; a time forgotten Democracy is dead, the people have no voice Gray haired remnants, so few remain Fountains of wisdom, knowledge to share It is all in vain, no one is listening Mistakes were made, but the lessons not learned Reconstitution of respect and values; a greater sense of self Selflessness, humility, virtue, honesty Lost treasures of a not so long-ago time Preponderance screams unity and love behind a wall of illiberality A nation cries out with a dying breath- look back, look back Whispers of the past; forecasts for the future Take heed, listen, look back and learn It is not too late, it is not too late Evoke change, recall decency, imbue integrity, inculcate charity-love’s truest form I utilized a free verse method. I changed some of my phrasing and took a more narrative approach. I am still a bit of a novice when it comes to specific technique and styles. I also used the assistance of a dictionary and thesaurus to find words that formed a stronger meaning and evoked deeper contemplation. I haven’t written anything of this caliber in a very long time. I encourage and look forward to constructive criticism.