National Poetry Month 2020 Day 18: “Liberty” & “Life - Energy”

I don’t know about you, but we did pledge allegiance to the flag in school until maybe 2nd or 3rd grade.
I love this spin on it, emphasizing the liberty the United States is meant to be all about, which I found in
the beautiful book, Poems to Learn by Heart. 

Liberty

By Janet S. Wong

I pledge acceptance

Of the views,

So different,

That make us America

To listen, to look,

To think, and to learn

One people

Sharing the earth

Responsible

For liberty

And justice

For all.

Speaking of free thought and speech, here’s my take on God, or spirit, or the power underlying life, or whatever
you want to call it, from 2000. 

Life – Energy

Is it like the ocean?

        Powerful tides, crashing waves, storms and calms…

Is it like the wind?

        Gusting, tickling, flinging fury…

Both cleanse

Is it like the stars?

        Seemingly constant, raging fires, glorious life and death, infinite…

Is it like the earth?

        Sustaining life and testing it, receptive of the influence of forces upon it but with forces
of its own- gravity, lava flows, formation of gems and rocks

Of course, it is in all of these things at once-

        Creating and receiving

        Full and dynamic

                Playful

        Within us all.