American Blues

American Blues

America is a tapestry of the blues

woven in red, white and blue,

not brown, black or yellow.

Nothing to dull the shine

of a new nation,

built on the backs of slaves

singing songs of salvation

as whips and chains stood by

to caress their bodies with

a loud crack of leather.

Droplets of blood

land in the dirt

as the flying African eagle soars

overhead to freedom.

Crack! Thud! The bird is shot down

by a man wearing a white and red cross.

He takes the body home

as a trophy to display

his prowess at shooting game.

These memories weave a tapestry of the blues—

Our American heritage.