national anthem

jack martin
It appears on the lips,
is a feral beast,
an antidote for poison.
What’s the difference
between wilderness
and manifest destiny? My neighbor
parks on the lawn. Gazebo.
Who can explain the sentimental?
Because weeping won’t solve problems,
my head is a white flag.
God bless America. Oh say,
can you see? A dog barks
until the whole neighborhood joins in.
Some of these words have been mangled.
Some have been buttered.
Rockets burn over City Park.
I hear voices.