America totally kicks ass.
The strongest nation on earth.
Nobody can kick our ass.
Nobody can intimidate us,
becuase we don’t give a fuck.

“America Kicks Ass” – John S. Hall

Sundays too my father got up
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?

–”Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden

Comes the morning
When I can feel
That there’s nothing left to be concealed
Moving on a scene surreal
No, my heart will never
Will never be far from here

Sure as I am breathing
Sure as I’m sad
I’ll keep this wisdom in my flesh
I leave here believing more than I had
And there’s a reason I’ll be
A reason I’ll be back

As I walk
The Hemisphere
Got my wish
To up and disappear

I been wounded
I been healed
Now for landing I been
Landing I been cleared

Sure as I’m leaving
Sure as I’m sad
I’ll keep this wisdom
In my flesh

I leave here believing
More than I had
This Love has got
No Ceiling
–Eddie Vedder