"America"

Although she feeds me bread of bitterness,
And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!
Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,
Giving me strength erect against her hate.
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.
Yet as a rebel fronts a king in state,
I stand within her walls with not a shred
Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.
Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,
And see her might and granite wonders there,
Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand. 

Footnotes

  1. Time is portrayed as an inevitable force, and the mention of "priceless treasures sinking in the sand" suggests the transience and potential loss of valuable aspects of American culture and society

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  2. America's vastness is likened to a flood, implying an overwhelming force that engulfs the speaker's entire being.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  3. The speaker contemplates the future with a sense of foreboding, acknowledging the might and wonders of America, represented by "granite."

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  4. The opening line presents a metaphorical image of America feeding the speaker "bread of bitterness." The bitterness suggests the hardships and challenges faced by the speaker within the American society.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  5. The poem uses enjambment, the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, creating a flowing and uninterrupted rhythm. This mirrors the speaker's ongoing experience within America.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  6. The poem is written in free verse, lacking a strict rhyme scheme or regular meter. This form allows for flexibility and emphasizes the raw and personal nature of the speaker's reflections on their relationship with America.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor