Good night US

In this piece, I follow the structure of Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon children’s book to explore elements of change in the US at this current time. The simplicity of a child's story frames the loss of values and structures many of us assumed were immutable.

In the red, white, and blue…

There was freedom

And innovation

And a flagpole…

Waving a respected Old Glory

And there were three functioning structures operating unimpeded

And constructive discourse

With trustworthy facts

And an independent military

And checks and balances

And leaders with integrity and SUPREME court justices and a respect for the court.

And disagreement without moral outrage.

Good night red, white, and blue

Good night freedom

Good night respect for Old Glory

Good night we-the-people

And innovation

Good night functioning structures

Good night unimpeded operations

Good night constructive discourse

And trustworthy facts

Good night complex history

Of strength and challenge

Good night independent military

And good night checks and balances

Good night SUPREME court justices

And leaders with integrity

Good night freedom

Goodnight respect for the court

And goodnight disagreement without moral outrage

Good night stars

Good night stripes

Good night embers of democracy