Echoes of a Fractured Dream

In a land once bound by dreams so grand, 

Where freedom's promise took its stand, 

Echoes of the past now softly weep, 

As shadows in the present creep. 

The founders' words, a guiding light, 

“All men are equal,” clear and bright, 

Yet now those truths seem far away, 

In a world where values sway. 

Years of struggle, voices raised, 

For civil rights, for justice praised, 

Now dismissed with a casual sneer, 

Branded “woke” with insincere jeer. 

The flag that waved with pride and grace, 

Now feels a weight, a solemn trace, 

Of leaders driven by their greed, 

Ambition's hunger, ego's seed. 

In hearts of many, doubt takes hold, 

As stories of our past are told, 

With faith in country worn and thin, 

And trust a fragile, wavering thing. 

Embarrassment, a heavy cloak, 

For ideals that once brightly spoke, 

Now tangled in a web of lies, 

Beneath a sky of muted cries. 

Yet in this darkness, sparks remain, 

Of those who strive through doubt and pain, 

For in the heart of this great land, 

Lies strength to rise, to take a stand. 

Though clouds of despair may linger near, 

The spirit of the people will persevere, 

For in the soul of every fight, 

Lies the promise of a brighter light.