Is this the new America?

Press play before reading. Salute.

(A lone voice whispers)

Do the lights flicker 

As the moonlight suddenly 

Appears

Are you 

Just one of the many 

Americans

Living in the shadows 

Fighting to stay alive

Trying to avoid

Defeat

Living lost

Like Red Indians

Surviving in

Joe Biden's

Mean streets

Proclaiming 

Polarity like 

Mathematics

Like Luther

Proclaimed 

Embracing his beat

Like 

Black Child

Forcing

YouTube 

To serenade his thoughts

And perceived knowledge

Is it an ungodly feat

Will you walk 

With me

With bloody feet

I'm just 

A 

Human 

With 

Attitude

Can you ruthlessly 

Enjoy 

This 

Lyrical feat

Tupac 

Laid the foundations 

Now 

Am I the voice 

Of a global 

United Nation

Am I like Brando or

Da Vinci 

Ain't got no

Land though

I’m just a gut 

Seeing through 

This

Wherever 

My music goes

Am I going solo

Touring as you 

Wear my halo

Rock on

I may be devalued

But I’m

Raising 

Hell

Just 

For you

Wherever I go 

I'm not chronic 

Not ironic

I'm like 

Eazy-E 

On serendipity

Can you feel me 

I'm no Springsteen or Bono

Just another 

Nameless

Embracing 

It's rough spiritual flow

I'm just another soul

Against all those Karens  

Always on patrol

A lost soul

Marching 

Against rich laws 

Made for all those

In the know

Like Dr Dre 

In Compton 

Dreaming 

Of getting paid

Am I like 

Nicki Minaj

Watching Cardi B

On stage

Watching

Mariah 

Getting played

Can you ever trust 

Kanye

Whatever he says

Does Madonna pray to the Illuminati 

As masked strangers 

With Eyes Wide Shut

Gather

In downtown LA

Slowly getting laid

For Yeezus

Doesn't control

Us

For all parodies get

Waylaid

It be just a 

Kardashian song 

Don't he now

Know dismay

Rock on 

As the beat plays

Since Childish Gambino

Says

This is American

Life's cheap, not expensive 

You gonna take my gun

If you try things

Will get offensive

I'm no rapper sitting on the fence

No Chris Brown playing around 

No Jay Z

Now rich 

Getting fat and lazy

I’m fresh 

Can you feel me

Hit me up

You can be me

Do the lights flicker 

As the moonlight suddenly

Appears

Are you 

Just one of the many 

Americans

Living in the shadows 

Fighting to stay alive 

Never bowing in defeat

Living lost

Like Red Indians

Surviving in

Joe Bidens 

Mean streets

Proclaiming 

Polarity like 

Mathematics 

Luther

Proclaimed 

Embracing his beat

Like 

Black Child

Forcing

YouTube 

To serenade his thoughts

And perceived knowledge

Is it an ungodly feat

Will you walk 

With me

With bloody feet

I'm just A Human 

With Attitude 

Save me all 

The platitudes

If this is America

It ain't no land of honey 

Them days are long gone

Only the political or privileged corrupt 

Are making any real money 

If this is the New America 

 

Where Covid power 

Is driving crowds 

hysterical 

2021 is gonna be remembered 

As goddam historical

Welcome to the New America

Where the land of the free

Is now just metaphorical 

Copyright John Duffy