May America Heal
Val enjoys writing prose in rhymes by always leaving a message of a life truism in each piece.
Introduction
Just for a sake of a rather superficial comparison, think for a moment what's making these fine people of the United(?) States of America so different from peoples of, say, Scandinavian countries, or Iceland, Switzerland...and alike.
I'm not talking about the size, political arrangement, natural resources, or climate. I am talking about the mentality of people in those countries which appears so much healthier, so much more at peace with themselves and with others.
Seen through the prism of one individual example, they remind of a dude who is focused on what he wants -- where an American dude keeps obsessing over what he doesn't want.
It doesn't really take a historian-turned-shrink to spot something unhealthy there. Riches and military power can't sugarcoat the fact how this, otherwise great, nation keeps giving an impression of someone who proverbially "doesn't really know if they are coming or going".
While they may claim all they want about themselves, with all those rich people -- who don't define the prosperity of the great majority -- American standard of living is not in the first, but thirteenth place on the global list.
Now, not trying to play that above mentioned "historian-turned-shrink", I believe that many honest Americans will agree with this assessment, not stubbornly parrot their usual slogans of "being the greatest in the world". Patriotism is fine, but it's not supposed to be blind.
Namely, unless we see that something is going wrong, we have a very slim chance of changing it -- and in this case we are talking about healing of the soul of this wonderful nation that deserves peace and harmony after a rather turbulent past and present.
The following two pieces of my prose in rhymes are not criticizing or mocking, but simply pointing at something that needs healing.

Peace May Seem Like an Unattainable Goal, but It's Never Too Late to Change Our Collective Mind and Give It a Chance.
Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it won't replace you as a driver.
-- Ayn Rand
A Pissed Off America
First it was the Native folks who got in the way
many killed, some contained, problem went away
but then, all of the Blacks suddenly decided to stay
after granted freedom, and somehow it didn't feel O.K.
Mexicans got useful by performing cheap job
welcomed as such -- or so it would only seem
for, soon they got classified as intruding mob
when they dared to share American Dream.
Ethnic varieties merely passing for a joke
as America was turning into a melting pot
with forefathers only some European folk
now the national pride being pushed a lot.
Then political differences created deep gap
and that's become a fuss of a different kind
if not about minorities, then a political crap
brother hating brother for an opposite mind.
Then even that somehow wasn't enough
as the whole world got after American ass
new policies enforced unfriendly and tough
to secure supremacy over that hostile mass.
Imaginary enemies becoming a political must
turning even good friends into dubious allies
paranoid eyes couldn't spot anyone to trust
all that nothing but Big Money in disguise.
Constantly at war -- under one or another excuse
and if we follow the money we'll come to the truth
while just parading as if "tightening some screws"
after that not convincing one of a tooth-for-a-tooth.
American people, that biggest of all treasure
which has from ever kept their America great
turned servant to this weird political pleasure
with peace of mind seemingly hard to create.

We Are Selective at What We Reveal about Ourselves, and also Selective at What We Choose to See in Others
Paranoia has reached extreme levels. I sneezed in front of my laptop and the antivirus program started.
-- Unknown
Russia the Boogieman
There's an insane network of global spying
with all biggies interfering with others' affairs
and that's one point worthy of some clarifying
maybe just to remove a bit of existential scares.
Russians are no angels, nothing to defend there
but if you see our own spies as innocent saints
you are missing something about being fair
as we should hear others' complaints.
Your best friends and allies are spying on you
even in your own country there are foes
but don't get excited, it's nothing new
that's how our life on earth goes.
Media is a selective business, you know
they won't report our own wrongdoing
but accusing others turns a big show
with window to one-sided viewing.
When you hate someone you can't be objective
not seeing reasons you give others to hate you
our patriotism is known to be overly selective
so what's the point of knowing what's true.
For we have toppled governments we didn't like
and applied economic terrorism as if just for a fun
here and there also adding to it a big military strike
fighting our friend's enemies, and we're still not done.
Russians will forever stay that boogieman of choice
and yes, they may even justly deserve that name
at least for as long as we ignore their own voice
for it takes more than one to play that game.
Groundless paranoia is hurting American soul
you can't be at your peace by disturbing one
keeping out of sight any constructive goal
not waving with a rose, but with a gun.
© 2020 Val Karas