You
.
c
a
n
.
call
.
i
t
.
fake . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
turn
away
.
f
r
o
m
.
the
shame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
you
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
the
friends
.
o
f
.
yesterday
.
a
r
e
.
betrayed
.
a
n
d
.
fade
away . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
past
enemies
celebrate
.
y
o
u
r
.
name . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
celebrate
.
y
o
u
r
.
name . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
celebrate
.
y
o
u
r
.
name . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
celebrate
.
y
o
u
r
.
name . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
today . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
you
!take!
–
–
!!take!!
–
–
!!!take!!!
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
separate
.
a
n
d
.
segregate . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
o
–
–
–
embrace
.
t
h
e
.
grim
.
a
n
d
.
greedy
grays . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ you
embrace
.
t
h
e
.
grim
.
a
n
d
.
greedy
grays . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
h
a
t
.
stain
.
a
n
d
.
obliterate . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
stain
.
a
n
d
.
obliterate . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
stain
.
a
n
d
.
obliterate . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
They
stain
.
a
n
d
.
obliterate . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
yesterday’s
grit
.
a
n
d
.
grace . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ the
grit
.
a
n
d
.
grace . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
t
h
a
t
–
–
–
accumulate
.
t
h
e
.
memory
replays . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ the
memory
replays . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
what
made
.
y
o
u
.
great
.
u
p
o
n
.
the
page,
.
.
i
n
.
.
historical
days . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ the
historical
days . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
brighter
age . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
warmer
embrace . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
shared
space . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
more
.
e
q
u
a
l
.
place . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
c
a
n
.
call
.
i
t
.
fake . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
turn
away
.
f
r
o
m
.
the
shame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
c
a
n
.
call
.
i
t
.
fake . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
turn
away
.
f
r
o
m
.
the
shame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
c
a
n
.
call
.
i
t
.
fake . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
turn
away
.
f
r
o
m
.
the
shame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
you
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
the
friends
.
o
f
.
yesterday
.
a
r
e
.
betrayed
.
a
n
d
.
fade
away . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
You
.
h
a
v
e
.
changed . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
past
enemies
celebrate
.
y
o
u
r
.
name . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
only
today . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ for
.
o
n
l
y
.
today . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
until
they
.
p
l
a
y
.
tomorrow’s
game . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ until
they
.
p
l
a
y
.
tomorrow’s
game . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
w
h
e
n
–
–
–
they
trade
.
y
o
u
r
.
fake
.
a
n
d
.
fickle
.
blame
.
a
n
d
.
fame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ when
.
t
h
e
y
.
trade
.
y
o
u
r
.
fake
.
a
n
d
.
fickle
.
blame
.
a
n
d
.
fame . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
.
f
o
r
.
the
permanent
shade . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
the
permanent
shade . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
the
permanent
pain . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
shape . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
shade . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
dismal,
.
.
durable,
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
demeaning
disgrace.
Reflection:
This is a reflective-themed poem for a country that seems to have lost its way. I used a favorite old Billy Joel song to help create this poem: “Surprises” from one of my favorite albums by him: “The Nylon Curtain.” I loved this album because it was not nearly as popular and overplayed as many of his other albums and songs. The song “Surprises” always evoked artistic imagery for me. I played this song on repeat in the background at low volume to create the “moodset” and inspire the writing of this poem. If you listen to this song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.