July 4th Today

July 4th today,

there will be fireworks.

But I am sad for the swallow birds

who live under the eaves,

of neighborhood houses.

They have come all the way

from South America,

flying over the vast Pacific Ocean,

to raise their chicks

in sunny California.

They are our treasured guests,

federally protected.

The noise, the fire,

and the sulfur smell,

it's going to scare them,

maybe even make them sick.

Celebration should be all-inclusive,

we all must understand.

Being empathetic is hard,

but it’s better than not being.

I urge you:

please don’t add to the burden

of already struggling environment,

fireworks are not the only way,

in fact, not the way,

to show you are patriotic.

If you disturb the little birds today,

tomorrow,

your own children will suffer,

karma is watching, remember.

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