Your Better’s Best.

They say: “the pen is more mighty than the sword”.

I say: “let’s put that adage to the test.

America, for union and accord,

we need not greatness, just your better’s best.”
.

You need not be the greenest land on earth,

nor the keenest prize in a treasured chest.

America, I say: “for what it’s worth,

we need not greatness, just your better’s best.
.

When you advance yourself beyond today.

When you follow the sun from East to West.

America, I say: “that come what may,

we need not greatness, just your better’s best.”
.

America, in you we all invest;

we need not greatness, just your better’s best.
.

© Tim Grace, 1 November 2024

To the Reader:
All of those “nice Americans” have let us down; they have surrendered to the darker side of their national character. A backward search for ‘greatness’ will only serve to lock-down progress towards a better state of the union. Vested interests have taken hold of America’s future. And sadly, they see the constitution, democracy, and the rule of law as mere impediments; obstacles to be avoided – a fool’s game.

To the Poet:
Sometimes, as a poet, you have to put aside literary conventions so as to emphasise what you really want to say. In this sonnet, I’ve drawn upon a range of literary devices to construct a rhythmic narrative that’s constrained (ABAB, BBBB, CBCB, BB) – anchored to ‘best’ which is the landing-point of each stanza and the final couplet. In this way, I’ve done my ‘best’ to make my point – I was conceived in America!