American Pie
Trapped
inside by summer swelter
helter skelter
where sweat shrinks us
in disappointment
in fear’s stench.
Will sparks ignite drought’s tinder?
Bereft of being unable to separate
season’s fare from poisoned pens.
Sliced apples, cinnamon, butter dabs
in bleached white floured crust. I’ve
lost my taste for it. Moral pancreas
screaming for lost limbs, curled soul.
Time with family, friends, staves off
a barrel filled with redactions, twists,
foundations wobbling with sinkholes.
Reach with your heart, cling to real,
however wrenching it may be.
Believe in it, let it anchor you
in balance, in peace.
As you may have recognized, the title and a few of the lyrics are from Don McLean’s American Pie. American Pie is a song I think of when I think of America, what it can be. To us, I wish a better next 250 years. We have done OK, but we can do so much better.
Tao-Talk 
Happy Fourth, Lisa! 🫶🏻
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Happy 4th to you also, Colleen <3
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Thanks, Lisa.
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I’ve always loved “American Pie.” As a more recent citizen, I think your final sentence sums up my sentiments about present-day America as well. It just feels very different from the country I first visited in 1981 and that became my permanent home in 1997. That being said, America has been through tough times before. As such, I haven’t given up hope the current difficult period will turn out to be an aberration. These circumstances are a good reminder democracy and the rule of law should never be taken for granted.
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Christian I hope it’s just an aberration also. I also appreciate your insights as you’ve lived in another land and see how it is there and have something to compare here to. What worries me the most, I think, is seeing the growing chasm between the haves and the have-nots. Your last line is *so* important for everyone to understand. I just told my sons, do your research on every candidate for every race, from school board on up. Our primary is in August. I plan on being fully informed by the time I cast my votes. When is your primary?
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Our primaries in NJ already happened in early June.
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Hoping you have some good candidates to choose from in Nov.
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Happy 4th Lisa! I’m about to head off to very HOT parties…good food but…can’t stay long because of the Honey Badgers we are raising lol. 6 left…after tomorrow only 3.
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Thanks, Max! I thought your neighbors were furbabysitting for you? Have fun at the party. I’m staying inside, nice and cool, in the A/C. There were a lot of guns and fireworks going off last night. Probably twice as much tonight.
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They did and I trust them…but we were still going to leave early…we finally said ah forget it. We stayed to the end. It was the first time we all got out in months. Of course they are fine. Yea some very loud fireworks…the last party had around $500 bucks worth of them..
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Glad you all had a fun time.
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Agreed Li!❤️
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Happy Fourth of July Lisa.
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Thanks, Selma <3
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Such a meaningful poem, Li. I have felt hijacked this anniversary of our country’s independence- so I read a lot of my own feelings into your words. And as for the song- I have loved it since I was in elementary school and we used to bring in records to listen to when it was inclement weather and could not go out for recess.
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V, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the poem and the 250th. We used to sing that song like a mantra. Glad it brought back pleasant memories for you <3
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I don’t think the USA was ever “great,” but we were overall headed in a better direction and now we’re going the opposite way. I’m sad that I probably won’t see significant progress in my lifetime. Hopefully my children and grandchildren will in theirs…
Hope you had a good weekend, Lisa ❤️🤍💙
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Paula, I echo your sentiments. How did things get SO messed up???
It was a very quiet weekend, except for the past 2 nights with fireworks and guns. Luckily they don’t phase Mlady and Dotty. Hoping yours went well.
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