America throws its books at me 

I use my teacher’s look 

 

then I have to agree 

it's a poorly-written text book 

 

she calls me late at night 

asking for advice 

 

could I help draft a bank letter 

about the unfairness of these times

 

she's returning bottles 

asking for a dollar  

 

making eight dollars an hour

taking care of my mother 

 

America’s getting wasted 

blasting bass through my apartment 

 

at least someone’s celebrating 

while I read a guardian article 

 

about gerrymandering 

police brutality 

 

endemic corruption 

pandemic suffering 

 

I obsess about America 

I don’t think it’s healthy 

 

I want her to know I care for her 

but I don’t know what I’m thinking