A Once Proud Nation "a society based on cash and self-interest is not a society at all, but a state of war..." - Lewis Lapham   Smoked roll-yer-owns dropped butts in stained coffee can Another break gone hands stiff from grappling product from assembly lines motion reduced – birds chained wings clipped ‘In my youth I could kill with only a motion - the motion of a motion grind stones to dust with a glance cause gorgeous femmes to gawk, drop dead-away in a hot faint revive coolly to desire what’s no longer there’ Employed in a windowless place gasp for free air in an arctic zone My wrists swathed in corsets Apron covers my once proud breast My heart beats though I tell it to stop ‘I am that which heals my spirit glows with the healing balm of winter’s snow on heated brow she holds me close, breathes deep, smiles, sleeps’ In a dreamless sleep she wakes me Fingers stained of nicotine and grease reach for her Stumble for footing to follow her fading form The alarm buzzing me to wakefulness Another day dawn Breaking ‘Listen to my epic, the tale of my tribe Your tribe We of a once proud nation of warriors healers, kings and queens relegated to convenience store clerks, a numbing series of menial and fast food servitude asking – would you like fries with your order? Quit damn job hit damn boss not really – just woke late fired as usual afraid of the day can’t jump over my shadow oh god, where has my strength gone 'We of a once proud nation surrender, lay down our flags, cross our wrists in front of us, kow tow to your banner taking the minimum wage to suck the pap gone bad from the nipple of the nation'