Lament

An ambivalent American am I,
unwilling to succumb to the kind of
country we have become. Numb 
to law and empathy.

I find I no longer wave the flag.
When giving the allegiance pledge,
I hedge, unable to say "indivisible"
and "liberty and justice for all",
words that fall and land like lies.

And there are songs that for me
will stay unsung. "Proud To Be An
American" is among them. An
ambivalent American I surely am.

Patriotism gets tricky, sticky with
hypocrisy. Democracy is on the
brink. I think of leaving versus
staying here grieving. Neither
scenario feels right. 

Night after night, news after news,
I lose sleep, lose faith. Hence, this
lament. I am an American ambivalent.

Ann Steinbach’s passion for writing began at age ten and has continued for decades. While earning a BFA, while working as an art educator, a visual merchandising executive, and a special events director, being a wordsmith has been constant.