Bottled USA

Advancing with ambiguous intent
Powered by the most powerful ferment
That man has yet to invent
The fumes alone were enough to cloud your mind

"Oh give me a home...."
Sung out in a cracking mechanical falsetto
"O'er the ramparts we watched..."
Disconnected random lyrics layed down
Upon an uncertain melody
"Aux armes, citoyens, formez vos bataillons..."

Haunting snatches of tradition and patriotism
Distilled into nothingness
Now just comfort in a bottle
Hawked by a barker at the podium
A mobile stage rolling noisily by

I buy one
Because I must

Drinking it down
It burns away my doubt
Fortifies my sight
Cures my lead poisoning
And I can think clearly
For the first time in years

But then it passes just as quickly
So I take another swig
And the promised effects take hold
Giving me enough to chase after the contraption
One hand in my pocket digging for coin
The other holding fast to the elixir

With enough of this in my cupboard
Perhaps I can make it through yet another day


-FDR07OCT2018