I’ve been thinking a lot about the Fourth of July and how I really don’t feel much like celebrating this year; the cruelty, malice, greed, and graft of the current administration has me pretty down. But I wrote this and it helped me a little. In humility and with thanks to Howard Thurman.

When the bombs are no longer bursting in air,
When the flags have been properly stored,
When the firecrackers cease their cacophony,
When the apple pie is all tucked away,
When the next day rolls around:
The work of the citizen begins.
To live out the truth that all people are created equal,
To enable the dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
To ensure prosperity for our children,
To acknowledge the harms of the past,
To commit to a more just future,
To let freedom ring,
To lift every voice and sing.