First Amendment

Dedicated to all of Balaam's Asses
wherever they may roam...

Living near the naval base,
she gets to sit in her courtyard...
sipping her coffee each morning,
and listen to the “Star-spangled
Banner.” All these years later
it still moves her.

She is proud to be American,
as others are proud of their
countries, even with cultures
mottled with bloody histories,
imperialism, geno…

He slurs his good mornings
and disturbs her conflicted
patriotism for an instant, and
then he is gone. She is both proud
and repulsed because even idiots
have the right to garble their opinions.

He shakes his fist at the woman
“what done him wrong” – never
having recovered from his wounds,
his heart black as the bruises from his whip,
his mind as victimized as Balaam’s ass.
“Why do you hurt me? Haven’t I been
a good and faithful  [husband]? ”

Bitch, please.

The cops told her that he is insane, but
not a danger. He is only spewing his angry
incoherencies; there is no crime
being committed.

Of course there isn’t.

She finishes her coffee as the ass
goes running into the street screaming
his “truth”,

and the trumpets stop playing.

~By Sherrie Gonzales-Kolb~