Too often in the last year, a broken promise has been made.
A promise for hope and reparation, a declaration that this nation can be saved.
"Make America Great Again"-sounds promising, wouldn't you agree?
Creating a nation of opportunity, a nation that's truly free.
But when was America great?
Is greatness defined by Native genocide, or Black slavery?
Is our greatest accomplishment the KKK, lynching Black men and women from trees?
Was America great during times of segregation, or internment camps for the Japanese?
Were we truly free during the Red Scare, imprisoning those who didn't agree?
Was our greatness waging a war in Vietnam, using young men's lives as artillery without a say?
Was our crowning moment denying women's right to choose prior to Roe v. Wade?
Outlawing interracial couples, rejecting their love out of personal malice and vile,
Or allowing the perpetuation of AIDs against the LGBT+ community, because you didn't agree with their "lifestyle?"
Waging a war in Iraq and Afghanistan against civilians without a say,
Wicking their lives out like a candle, prohibiting them seeing another day.
Was our shining moment watching Black men and women dying in the streets,
Protestors screaming "hands up, don't shoot," or, better yet, "WE CAN'T BREATHE."
Are conversion therapy and the murders of Trans individuals a sign of our patriotic love--
The red on our flag doesn't signify freedom, rather losses of innocence and spilling of blood.
You can promote your rhetoric and dress it up any which way--
But America's greatness was not, nor will ever be a reality, if Trump has any say.