Epicenter

I see a towering, true beacon of light,

the stark north star of a nation,

never shadowed in the longest of nights.

But beneath it lays a vast white blanket

of deaths from truth’s damnation,

birthed by the dark dogma of bigots.

I see the sculpted faces of distinct virtue,

that sternly stare roaring storms in the eye,

molded by empathy, firmly planted for justice.

But around them rest the sullen faces

of those abandoned by the powerful’s lies,

for whom opportunity seems a false promise.

I see the ivory castles of democracy,

stately symbols of leadership and progress,

backbones of a vision for a free world.

But within their halls, principles wilt to corruption

steamrolled by the lead feet of regress,

fading in the headwind of selfish obstruction.

These mirrors of a purpose, in the epicenter of a nation, 

illuminate America the idea, beyond just the place.

Yet the powerful that be ignorantly stray

from these bastions of virtue just steps away.

We trip, we falter, we veer off-track, 

structures can crumble, their foundations can crack,

but what builds a country are ideals strongly intact.

These lofty, shining shrines and monuments,

aren’t anchored by their steely bronze or sturdy cement,

but by their roots in a greater purpose:

a commitment to opportunity, a rule of the majority,

a vision of a higher place we’re headed for as one.

Never waning in the winds of time or clamor of crisis,

they don’t just stand there—they stand for something.

Yet their blinding hope gives a mirage of permanence,

masking the fragility of the morals at their cores.

Scarce are leaders who treat their creed with reverence,

driving their decay into hollow towers and empty altars.

I invite the powerful to stand beside Franklin, 

listen to Abraham, look Martin in the eye.

Revisit their legacies, dare to tell them your filthy lies.

Peer up at Washington, with your greedy defiance.

Try to dismiss his idea, punctuating America’s skies.

Try all you want, but you will only realize,

however vulnerable, they will stand far longer than you.

To actualize their visions and give truth to our promise,

there can be no aberrations from the battle for justice.