America, God still loves you —
Just in case you were wondering –
Just in case you were staring at the sky in wide-eyed manic merriment chuckling
at the old, forlorn watchmaker
Just in case you felt guilty at night –
a little tipsy off martinis
or maybe piss drunk on the ol’ 8-Ball, wetting your sheets to the boxspring
Just in case you were regretting the creation of so goddamn many wild-haired poets — and maybe, therefore, wish that I had ended up a bloody mess on floor or in a galvanized steel bucket rather than poor and addicted to nicotine

America, God still loves you!
It’s true!
I read it on a Baptist billboard!
(true it was next to sinners repent, but, nonetheless, you are loved and that’s more than most of us can say.)

But to Hell with us! You Are Loved!

Regardless of your sinning children
Regardless of we crackpot sons of Jews who’s grandmothers cry Yiddish because we never call, never write
And regardless of bearded Russian poets kicked out of your bed unnoticed to return home cold, three-legged to write verse, May 14, 1994

America, God still loves you!

Maybe it’s because of your crazy sad sons somehow finding enough courage and love to still cast dreams into fountains,
Maybe it’s because dogs can sleep peaceful in the front seat of cars as the sun touches the East and burns blue,
Maybe it’s because still some people can find a beatific glee in your smiling eyes
Or maybe it’s because of Salinger,
Or maybe it’s digital clocks
your time is true time
and I collect words as if they were gold,
Or maybe it’s because I can’t get a job and you very well know I don’t really want one.

America, you are loved but I want to kick your ass,
I don’t like getting screwed, just screwing,
I’m a nice guy, why do you rain on me?

America, why don’t you ever sleep? It’s hard enough keeping up with you even when I’m awake — in my dreams it’s impossible.

America, why won’t you let me sound my barbaric yawp and have people cheer at the performance?
I often hear you sigh, but rarely hear you whisper.

So stand on your own two feet, America
And sing some sort of anthem loud
For you are loved.