Freedom

when i was thirteen i held a wrapper in my hand 
covered in red white and blue lettering 
a tribute to the land you once loved dearly 

but along with so many things you once loved 
it floated away with the wind 
looking for a better place 
where the freedom 
we all once had 
still remains 

[YWP Editor's Note: Congratulations to meandpaul, the December 2025 award winner in YWP's monthly Tomorrow Project contest! This poem was written in response to the challenge, American Experiment: What does it mean to be American? Can we still find the answer in the Declaration of Independence — that each person has the equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?]