I’ll Help the World Today!
by C. Jenny Walbridge
Inspired by Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the U. S. A.”
I love this land I stand on
Maybe more than some could grasp.
I’m in red, white, blue tie-dye,
And a peace sign is my clasp.
From Denver to Seattle,
Going south to Georgia too,
Where Old Glory’s overhead,
The great bald eagles flew,
To Lady Liberty who towers,
Welcoming with hand of light.
(Though our country in its guises was
Not always in the right!)
I’m proud to be an American,
Where my family came to live.
Like others from those distant lands
Who now are here to give,
I want to stand up
Next to you,
So we can both salute
Our brave past; now, our future
Needs our people not to shoot!
From Chicago down to Texas
Innocents murdered in cold
Bloody NRA gets richer
That Amendment Two—so old!
From the swamps of Leeziana
To the sands of Arizone
The people upset, crying,
Health care stealing all they own.
Yet I’m proud to be an American,
Sharing all the problems here.
Trying to get help we need,
Not have sad eyes that tear.
And I want to sit down next to you,
Take your hand and say,
That we must play “together “
‘Cause we love the USA!
From first responders’ hurt lungs
To broken bones of the police,
Soldiers’ missing limbs,
PTSD—on the increase,
From teachers to bus drivers,
Truck unloaders, work all day,
Security guards, phone callers
Working hard all night, I say,
That I love my fellow Americans
Who made the U. S. Number One!
They contributed their best
As our great citizens’ve done.
And I’ll gladly stand up next to them,
To save their bodies’ health–
They have strong American hearts—
Here we will know true wealth!
I’m glad to be an American,
But do we keep it for ourself?
Most of us came from afar;
Do we put others on a shelf?
Why don’t we stand up, write
A new agenda for our land?
I think it’s time our country
Should become a smart new brand!
Yeah, I’m proud to be an American,
My humble nest is here.
I sometimes order pizza,
On the weekends, drink some beer.
I would like to stand up next to you
In all our grief and pain—
How can we use our freedom
To bring peace? wonders this brain.
USA Dot Two
Is a newer version of
America, for winners,
Built by those of us who love
Our country and are ready
To try something that’s more green,
Flex our muscles, stretch our bones,
Take a leap over the mean.
Though I disliked Ronald Reagan
All the things that he would quote
And the trickle-down idea’s
Not exactly all she wrote,
Yet, I’m proud to be an American,
With friendly border lands.
No need for trade in weapons—
We want new games for our hands!
And I have to stand up
Next to those
Who’ll choose our leader new
By votes we’ll use our freedom,
Finding one who has a clue.
Stars on every U. S. flag,
Thirteen moon-months stripe
If any space is “tainted,”
Use that banner, “clean,” to wipe!
That’s the way we’ve ruled the Planet.
There could be a change:
Global aspirations from all over—
Is that strange?
I’m proud to be from the U. S.,
Tall mountains majesty,
And know that I don’t need a gun,
There’s peace, no tragedy.
From the lakes of ancient Persia
To the hills of Vietnam
Let us not fail to celebrate,
Not drop another bomb!
War finally done, some great ones died.
None need face fear now, right?!
The U. N. must do its work,
All nations giving light.
We share a home, it’s Planet Earth,
From sea to shining sea.
Why don’t we now collaborate
On laughs for you and me?
I’d like to high-five you and hug
My neighbor from afar
Let’s cooperate together
To save Earth, the Sun’s all star!
An updated oldie by me:
NOTHING HUMAN IS ALIEN II
(This poem was inspired by Christopher Reeve’s speech at the Democratic Convention on August 26, 1996.)
The early years:
I’d known bright joy at ovation
In a classroom situation.
I’d told others how to feel,
But could I see myself?
I had tasted their ablutions;
They were simple, clear solutions.
But my problems went beyond them,
And I had to get more help.
Later:
It was time for the Convention and
I heard Christopher Reeve;
He held me in detention, standing,
Heart upon my sleeve.
He said family values meant
In a country time is spent
On each other, sister, brother—
All cared for by one another.
The man had found some loopholes
In the American Dream:
He pointed out discrepancies:
Things are not what they seem
For those with shattered lives.
And he said, We can overcome!
But ’til good heart arrives, it’s clear
The luckless are struck dumb.
Democracy’s in jeopardy—
The rich can lobby more!
Who pulls the strings? Aren’t we ashamed
If we abuse the poor?
Tonight, when writing letters,
Some quite brilliant words I found.
They help cut through the old fetters
With which my eyes were bound.
“Nothing human is alien,” goes the
Phrase I mention here.
I wrote it down so many times—
It served to stop my fear.
I’d suffered from psychosis then.
(It’s now under control:
The drugs I take can for me make
A more collected soul.)
When Reeve spoke and he mused so well
On our good land today,
“We must help those with mental problems,
Too!” I thought he’d say.
I would not put it past him, though,
To quote, on second thought,
That if we can make a difference for
An ailing mind, we ought!
For all the knocks life hands to us,
It gives us talents, too,
And virtues such as empathy
It’s good not to eschew.
The struggle to be sound of self
Is not an easy one. But
Of mind and body, health makes
Productive lives, and fun.
My own journey has taken me
A ways from whence I came:
By learning more about myself
I’ve come to be the same,
But stronger, smarter, more aware
Of the fact that we are all
So very vulnerable to
A heart-ache or a fall
From the grace of full acceptance in
A culture that is mean,
A system that would hate its own
When they’re no longer lean
Or sprout a female chest or a
Cleft palate or are Black.
Discrimination hurts, my friend,
We’ve got to fight it back!
Nothing human is alien,
I’ve come to know it’s true.
For mentally ill I have been;
An artist, too. And you?
A family is what we are,
The rich parts and the poor,
And each of us inside our heads
Must build bridges for more
Understanding–what we need,
Of ourselves, and of y’all!
My therapy’s been good enough
That I can make this call:
What grander art than that which
Rests between a set of ears?
But must psychology’s concern
Be solely that of fears?
Let us create a culture where
Art therapy’s the norm:
Where each one gets a chance to make
Some line, some movement, form,
And all feel inspiration
To express their artist’s soul.
A healthy planet’s what we’d get
If we’d assume this role!
I hold just that the world’s solutions
Lie within our grasp,
Whether they be saving souls
Or fighting plagues of asp.
Liberation of our souls is
Desired. Hey! I have seen
Within myself, recovery,
And hope. Know what I dream?
A future where we utilize
All of our greatest gifts,
When we’re employed to teach, inspire,
In which my spirit lifts
The all of you, who come to know
Yourselves as I’ll know me.
We’ll dance ahead, committed
To each other feeling free.