America's Song

rat, tat, tat
   thud, thud, thud

crying and waling
   sobbing, and screaming
gnashing of teeth

There are the ribbons,
   and the flowers, purple, red, and white
balloons flop aimlessly on a stick
    pictures of smiling faces
cards, and candles and incense sticks
cotton candy and boxes of chocolates
and, of course, the flags waving in the wind,
always the waving flags.

Then there are the prayers
to whom? or what? where?
and the why's?
always, the why's?
the why's that are never answered.

and then the encores,
over again,
and again,
and again...

the song plays on
rat, tat, tat
  thud, thud, thud.