Grand Canyon

i love my country
 by which i mean
 i am indebted joyfully
 to all the people throughout its history
 who have fought the government to make right
 where so many cunning sons and daughters
 our foremothers and forefathers
 came singing through slaughter
 came through hell and high water
 so that we could stand here
 and behold breathlessly the sight
 how a raging river of tears
 cut a grand canyon of light
 yes, i've bin so many places
 flown through vast empty spaces
 with stewardesses whose hands
 look much older than their faces
 i've tossed so many napkins
 into that big hole in the sky
 bin at the bottom of the atlantic
 seething in a two-ply
 looking up through all that water
 and the fishes swimming by
 and i don't always feel lucky
 but i'm smart enough to try
 cuz humility has buoyancy
 and above us only sky
 so i lean in
 breathe deeper that brutal burning smell
 that surrounds the smoldering wreckage
 that i've come to love so well
 yes, color me stunned and dazzled
 by all the red white and blue flashing lights
 in the american intersection
 where black crashed head on with white
 comes a melody
 comes a rhythm
 a particular resonance
 that is us and only us
 comes a screaming ambulance
 a hand that you can trust
 laid steady on your chest
 working for the better good
 (which is good at its best)
 and too, bearing witness
 like a woman bears a child:
 with all her might
 born of the greatest pain
 into a grand canyon of light
 i mean, no song has gone unsung here
 and this joint is strung crazy tight
 and people bin raising up their voices
 since it just ain't bin right
 with all the righteous rage
 and all the bitter spite
 that will accompany us out
 of this long night
 that will grab us by the hand
 when we are ready to take flight
 seatback and traytable
 in the upright and locked position
 shocked to tears by each new vision
 of all that my ancestors have done
 like, say, the women who gave their lives
 so that i could have one
 people, we are standing at ground zero
 of the feminist revolution
 yeah, it was an inside job
 stoic and sly
 one we're supposed to forget
 and downplay and deny
 but i think the time is nothing
 if not nigh
 to let the truth out
 coolest f-word ever deserves a fucking shout!
 i mean
 why can't all decent men and women
 call themselves feminists?
 out of respect
 for those who fought for this
 i mean, look around
 we have this
 yes
 i love my country
 by which i mean
 i am indebted joyfully
 to all the people throughout its history
 who have fought the government to make right
 where so many cunning sons and daughters
 our foremothers and forefathers
 came singing through slaughter
 came through hell and high water
 so that we could stand here
 and behold breathlessly the sight
 how a raging river of tears
 is cutting a grand canyon of light