The Eyes Carved in Stone

Staring through eyes of stone at the republic 

oh, for which it stands 

one nation like a burning stick 

a stick that is almost snuffed out 

the red flames curling up and turning the stick to carbon and ash 

while no one puts it out 

I think the founding fathers would see this country 

through their own eyes 

just the way we see it from our eyes 

because 

though a barrier of time separates the founding fathers from ourselves 

that really doesn't change their perspective 

with education we can come to the fact that the burning stick 

the emblem of the collapsing environment 

is almost no more

the founding fathers 

would see the men like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos 

pumping pollution into the atmosphere

the only atmosphere we have

who won't stop to realize

that we can't just hurtle off into space in a climate crisis

this stick is burning

these lives are diminishing

and we should all have the right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness

and we all will have those rights one day

staring out through eyes carved in stone

at our republic

for which it stands

above and ahead of the racism, sexism, and prejudice, 

and right behind a more perfect union.