Christmas in July

Christmas, in July

When God did place upon a
Virgin Land,
A seed:
 Blessed liberty and hope,
A child:
 Innocent and sweet-swaddled,
Meant to topple oppression,
Meant to foment revolution,
Meant to lead with justice:
A nation.

When wise men from world-roun’
Looked skyward,
Heaven:
 A refuge from injustice,
The stars:
 A beacon for the magi.
Battling against oppression,
Affirming Revolution’s foment,
Modeling law with justice:
This nation.

Rockets red, bombs bursting:
 Defending, enlightening,
Broad stripes and stars waving:
 Pronounced in winnowed wind,
Pomping and parading:
 Greeting generations sweetly,
Grieving and gathering,
 In squares, on streets, with grace,
Embracing and welcoming:
 Poor, huddled masses, yearning,
The Beautiful, breathing free:
 Christmas, Christmas in July:
America! America!
 God spreads His love upon us.

When martyrs and heroes
Fought for us,
A gift:
 Wrapped in selfless blood-soaked bows,
A charge:
 To pass on to freedom’s heirs,
Present in history’s arc,
Democracy shining bright,
Our home, the world’s asylum:
Our nation.