Several years ago, my girlfriend (now wife) and I would often do writing exercises together—mostly poetry. We found an online prompt generator that would spit out random sentences, which we'd then shape into poems. That generator no longer exists, but one sentence it gave us during a particular session stuck with me: "Directly confront the National Anthem between hands of poker."  

What follows is the piece that came out of that prompt.

Anthem.

by Riles (2021)

What is a nation?

A nation is an idea, situated in geography.

An anthem?

A nation, situated in verse.

You're bluffing.

Like hell.

Land of the free? Home of the brave?

Red glares? Bombs bursting in air?
Some might call that a bluff.

Do you wonder if Key really knew what he was doing

When he wrote the lyrics to a song

In which all dissenters

Might someday be crushed if they questioned its authenticity?

Ironic, if you ask me.

A dead-man's hand?

For some, maybe.

It depends.

What hand were you dealt?

As in where were you born?

What do you look like?

If you feel the urge to take the knee,

Or you hear those lyrics, see that banner, and say:

"I just don't feel that represents me."

You might be one of those maybe.

Donald called Kaepernick

And black men everywhere

"Sons of bitches" for doing such a thing.

While the irony lied hopeless and dead

Right there in the verse.

"Land of the free. Home of the brave."

An act which took bravery

Twisted into an act of selfishness cruelty.

Wild cards.

Malcom X. Martin L King.

Susan B. Sojourner T.

BLM. LGBT.

All of them deemed wild cards

For expecting better of our Land of the Free.

A place expected to represent everyone when it was written, "We

The People…"

Aces up the sleeve.

If that resonates with you,

You're kinda like me.

Dealt a fine, magnificent hand

Which makes it all the easier to live a life in this land.

To stand for the song;

To allow your eyes to gleam at the banner.

There's no shame in loving that song;

No guilt in loving that banner;

Don't get me wrong.

Though simply think of where you come from.

Why it might be easier for you,

And harder for some.

All in.

"A more perfect Union"

Doesn't mean we have achieved it in full.

It means we're on our way,

But have a ways to go.

We all have to walk that walk.

Even those who are unabashed in singing:

"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

To love this place. To truly love this place.

Is to look next to you and ask why

These are words that not everyone might say.