The day after 9/11
A band played in the park
Across the street from
Where I live
A combination of
Songs patriotic
And hymns declaring
His marching truth
The band leader spoke
Between numbers
About the glory of war
Asking those to stand
Who had served
In the Name
Of god and country
Citing count of destruction
Death toll war by war
As if this were something
To be proud of
And the sheep rose
And clapped their hands
The best among them
Wearing red white and blue
And Uncle Sam top hats
Waving American flags
I walked away
A bad sheep
A black sheep
Maybe a wolf in sheep’s clothing
My stomach churning
And headed to my car
And the reptile show
At the other end of town
Preferring the company
Of alligators
And tortoises
Evolved by comparison
Further disgusted to note
As I stepped away from
The crowd
That all the good parking spaces
Were gone