Once Upon a Time in America

(A Prophecy of Collapse)

Once upon a time, beneath stars and stripes,
Stood a colossus—loud, armed, and blind to its blight.
It roared not with wisdom but with greed and might,
Casting shadows across oceans, in day and night.

Its streets were paved with silence, not gold,
Citizens numbed, liberty bought and sold.
The media fed illusions, thick and sweet,
While justice begged on Wall Street's feet.

A builder rose, not from virtue, but pride,
Crowned in red caps, and ignorance wide.
Trump, the name, a brand not a man,
Spoke not for the people, but for the plan.

He whispered fear into every law,
Preached nationalism with a dictator’s draw.
The eagle, once soaring, began to dive,
As hunger and hatred kept truth alive.

The oppressed cried beneath polished flags,
While wealth rolled past in armored Jags.
He made of Twitter a holy decree,
And mocked the truth on national TV.

But prophecy dances in silence, not crowds,
And thunder brews under sleeping shrouds.
The land of the free became tired and torn,
Its unity fractured, its myth reborn.

One by one, the states will pull,
Tired of dancing to Washington’s rule.
Texas will murmur, then yell, “We secede!”
California, tired, will plant its own seed.

Civil wars, not with muskets but minds,
A digital rebellion, restructured by signs.
The poor, the Black, the bruised and betrayed,
Will rise like waves the Empire delayed.

The world shall whisper, as stars rearrange,
“Once, there was America—but now things have changed.”
No more illusions, no more disguise,
For the bully’s mask has met its demise.

From bloodied dreams and broken news,
Will rise a world that no longer fears abuse.
America—the empire—will collapse from within,
Its tale engraved where the fall begins.

And the prophets shall say in their twilight song:
You ruled with power, but not for long.
For every house built on sand and lies,
Must one day fall… and never rise.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2025



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Be the first to comment on this poem. Encourage this poet.

Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter