‘America Is Not the Same’: A Poem by Richard Lackman The Society July 3, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . America Is Not the Same America is not the same. __I do not recognize it. We all know who should bear the blame, __But still we analyze it. The teachers’ unions and the press _ All share part of the shame. Our legal system is a mess __That functions as if lame. Our patriots get no respect, __While criminals are coddled. The DOJ is now suspect __But will not be remodeled. While drug addiction’s legalized, __Shop lifters get off free, The Stars and Stripes are now despised __And athletes take a knee. Immigration is a mess __With no real southern border. The Bidens never will confess __They want a one world order. So, tax and spend is all we do __As high inflation rages, And women’s sports are all askew __But still acclaimed by sages. Big Tech and Pharma still decide __How things are meant to go, While academics still deride __The truths we can’t forego. What happened to the land I knew __And truly loved so much? Democracy’s no longer new __And seeming out of touch. I know it’s true that all things change, __But still I can’t believe it. America now seems so strange. __I never could conceive it. We were one nation under God __With liberty for all; But now that notion seems so odd, __A prelude to a fall. Oh, beautiful for spacious skies __Return to us once more, And let us see through clearer eyes __As we have done before. . . Richard Lackman is an orthopaedic cancer surgeon and poet. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. 11 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson July 3, 2023 Excellent compendium of problems in classic poetic form that could be solved with a responsible government to the people that must be installed in the 2024 elections for starters. Reply Dick Lackman July 4, 2023 Elections have consequences so we can only hope. Thanks Reply Paul Freeman July 3, 2023 I think the author means that being American, or what is considered American, is not what it used to be, which is basically what the poems’s about, ungrammatically sounding though it may be. Reply Joseph S. Salemi July 3, 2023 Yes, I understand that. But this is why we have to be very careful! The title can be construed as correct the way it stands, as I admitted. However, when the first line of the poem is different, it reflects back upon the title to make “American” seem like a careless error. First and foremost here, we are WORDSMITHS, and we are not supposed to fall into this kind of of petty verbal confusion. We always have to be aware of our enemies, and that they are always looking for some way to denigrate this site or ridicule it. Why should we help them by creating a pointless ambiguity? Why should we give them a peg on which to hang the word “amateurish”? Let me stick out my neck again: If you are not PRIMARILY concerned with words, syntax, and grammar, you will fall into the trap of the three miseries (meaning, message, and moral). A poem with noble sentiments does not survive slipshod craft. Reply Gregory Ross July 3, 2023 A nice poetic summary of issues we are dealing with, and least anyone become cynical about out state, this poem ends with a hopeful prayer – which I think restores hope in our country and countrymen. I look forward to reading more of your work. Reply Dick Lackman July 4, 2023 Thanks for the kind comments Reply Cynthia Erlandson July 4, 2023 Very moving, and very true. I really love the last verse. Reply Dick Lackman July 4, 2023 I wish it was not true, but it is. There are so many good, patriotic Americans just doing the right thing everyday. Hopefully they can move us in a positive direction. Reply Joshua C. Frank July 4, 2023 Like Mr. Lackman, I wish this were not true, but one would have to be truly out of touch not to know that it is. Stanza 8 brought tears to my eyes. For me, Independence Day was sad this year, for all the reasons you describe. I’m afraid that the prayer in the final stanza is like praying for the dead to return to life. Reply Dick Lackman July 5, 2023 Thanks for the comment. All we can do is pray… and vote. Reply Shaun C. Duncan July 6, 2023 The sentiments you have captured perfectly here resonate well outside of America, but as a foreigner observing from afar it’s been heartbreaking to hear the testimony of patriotic Americans who are coming to terms with the fact that the country they love(d?) has seemingly all but disappeared. However, the structure of the republic is such that I think there is always hope that things can be turned around. As one who lives in Australia, often deemed an outpost of the American empire, I sure hope so for my own country’s sake. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson July 3, 2023 Excellent compendium of problems in classic poetic form that could be solved with a responsible government to the people that must be installed in the 2024 elections for starters. Reply
Paul Freeman July 3, 2023 I think the author means that being American, or what is considered American, is not what it used to be, which is basically what the poems’s about, ungrammatically sounding though it may be. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi July 3, 2023 Yes, I understand that. But this is why we have to be very careful! The title can be construed as correct the way it stands, as I admitted. However, when the first line of the poem is different, it reflects back upon the title to make “American” seem like a careless error. First and foremost here, we are WORDSMITHS, and we are not supposed to fall into this kind of of petty verbal confusion. We always have to be aware of our enemies, and that they are always looking for some way to denigrate this site or ridicule it. Why should we help them by creating a pointless ambiguity? Why should we give them a peg on which to hang the word “amateurish”? Let me stick out my neck again: If you are not PRIMARILY concerned with words, syntax, and grammar, you will fall into the trap of the three miseries (meaning, message, and moral). A poem with noble sentiments does not survive slipshod craft. Reply
Gregory Ross July 3, 2023 A nice poetic summary of issues we are dealing with, and least anyone become cynical about out state, this poem ends with a hopeful prayer – which I think restores hope in our country and countrymen. I look forward to reading more of your work. Reply
Dick Lackman July 4, 2023 I wish it was not true, but it is. There are so many good, patriotic Americans just doing the right thing everyday. Hopefully they can move us in a positive direction. Reply
Joshua C. Frank July 4, 2023 Like Mr. Lackman, I wish this were not true, but one would have to be truly out of touch not to know that it is. Stanza 8 brought tears to my eyes. For me, Independence Day was sad this year, for all the reasons you describe. I’m afraid that the prayer in the final stanza is like praying for the dead to return to life. Reply
Shaun C. Duncan July 6, 2023 The sentiments you have captured perfectly here resonate well outside of America, but as a foreigner observing from afar it’s been heartbreaking to hear the testimony of patriotic Americans who are coming to terms with the fact that the country they love(d?) has seemingly all but disappeared. However, the structure of the republic is such that I think there is always hope that things can be turned around. As one who lives in Australia, often deemed an outpost of the American empire, I sure hope so for my own country’s sake. Reply
