social commentary
There's a rich history of poetry serving as social commentary, intended to inspire calls to action.
July 4, 2026
July 4, 2026 On this quiet July 4th, I sit in my apartment with the soft hum of Earth breathing outside my window. I honor the holiday in my own way not with fireworks, but with remembrance. I carry the Choctaw spirit of equality and kindness, the Irish and Baltic endurance, the Mediterranean warmth, the African and Coptic Egyptian depth, the Native and Asian roots that whisper through my dreams, and the immigrant courage of those who crossed Ellis Island seeking a new horizon. I celebrate the truth that humanity is one species with many colors, languages, and stories. I do not celebrate the friction of bigotry or hate; those shadows do not exist in my world of truth, light, and freedom. I look at the plants outside the breathing nature of Earth, and I remember that the Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. And today, I begin again with that truth as my compass. I stand in the breath of Earth, where roots remember what people forget. My DNA is a map of many rivers, all flowing toward the same horizon. Today I honor the quiet truth we belong to the Earth, And the Earth keeps us whole. I celebrate the freedom of kindness, the courage of every ancestor who walked, crossed, sailed, or dreamed of me here. No flag can hold the whole of me I am many lands braided into one breath. Today I rise in truth and let the Earth be my anthem. July opens like a leaf in my hand, Quiet, green, and honest. I listen to the plants, to the sky, to the soft pulse of my ancestors. Freedom is not fireworks, It is the breath of Earth is asking us to care.
By Vicki Lawana Trusselli 4 months ago in Poets
Texas Ain't Changin'
Well, slap my face and call me Sissy! You simply don't get it, Missy! Y'all cain't talk "New York Style" here. Yer in Texas now, M'dear! Now, before y'all up and go, There's a passel more to know. Show some manners and you'll find Life here gits a mite more kind While yer at it, have a go At dancin' to our “Cotton Eyed Joe”, If y'all can keep up the pace! And 'fore eatin', we say Grace. It ain't like we're proud or picky, But the lifestyle here is tricky And we we practice what we preach, Which we're also glad to teach! Don't go gittin' in a tizzy 'Cause yer life “back home” was busy. Whoa up, and we'll treat you to Our best slow-cooked barbecue. “Barbecue”'s a wide selection Of fine foods, grilled to perfection And unless it's on yer grill, No suggestin'. Jest keep still. If yer cruisin' on our highway, Interstate or dirt-track byway, That friendly wave you jest saw? Y'all return it – that's the law . Open doors for complete strangers. Don't talk smack about the Rangers. Hats off comin' in the door, Or expect to git “What For”. Y'all can see, I'm sure, it's simple, Sure as my butt's got a dimple. Texas won't adjust to you. We'll leave that for you to do. *** I'm not sure why this one came to me today. I think I'm just glad ot be publishing. Y'all enjoy, y'hear?
By Dana Crandell4 months ago in Poets
