The American Dream - A Poem
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The American Dream
Don’t hate me because I seem smart
and look to be so successful.
In my time, dreams were working hard
to create magic for yourself –
The American Dream – the fading art
of vision and sweat, always so hopeful.
Don’t envy me ‘cause I’m dogged,
and my Dad had to cut me loose
to make it on my own thin dime,
my destiny my own to choose.
Don’t envy my eight young years spent
working any damn job I found,
to hold in hand that final document,
for most a mere four years of life.
Don’t envy my daily hunger,
addicting fags I came to smoke,
relying on them to lessen, smolder
the long empty of hungry and dead broke.
Don’t envy my low, nodding head
when early morning came too fast,
and found me slow dragging, trudging,
nightshift sleepless to my next class.
Don’t envy me, don’t hate me, please,
for slapping my own weary self
back in line and slow marching time,
'till that sheepskin I earned myself.
Envy me well, envy me long,
for making my own stubborn way;
not waiting, handout hopeful, ‘till surely
a doting Uncle Sam would pave my stay.
Don’t you fret! No worries for sure . . .
for all sad lost in the journey
to see both yours and mine secure.
Please spend it wisely, spend it well!
Ever mindful of all endured . . .
The American Dream – Bonjour!
Copyright ©Katie.Flippin, July 21, 2010, All Rights Reserved
Author's Note:
This poem is not intended to sound arrogant, but rather to emphasize the realities behind many of the American people that are now expected to pay even more, many times all , of the expenses of the lives of other Americans -- granted, some of those needy Americans were not raised with a strong work ethic, along with faith and encouragement to pursue their own goals -- but instead were reared to be comfortable with, and expectant and deserving of, government aid.
It is also intended to address the current, and quite sad, hate and envy of some Americans toward others, which has so very lately come to national light via the Sherrod Saga. Hate, envy and disregard for Americans who are not clearly 'poor' -- hate and envy targeted at Americans of whom they know nothing; only to be helped if they become clearly, demonstrably 'poor', but otherwise are fair game for unfair treatment - after all the federal government deems is so by daily example.
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Pollyannalana, I believe we have already gone under, and it is now a test of how long the country can hold its breath while fighting back to the surface, living or dying, our way of life is gasping, middle class wealth as of the past few weeks is officially destroyed for most, non-union working America has been betrayed. Perhaps there's now been created a new 'upper poor' class or 'lower lower middle class' that will have no hope but Uncle Sam in their now Tarnished Golden years.
Thanks very much for commenting.
I know where you are coming from but I don't think it is any American you have to worry about. I would be glad to know one of them might get something. Before we go under.
K.Burns Darling.......thanks so much for your encouraging comments, I am glad you liked this poem, and I do agree that many Americans for a couple generations at the least have that "I deserve this because I was born" attitude toward life, rather than "I will work for this, myself" -- and the idea, or rather the fact, that it is the feel good from the actual striving toward achievement that is as lasting for our lives, is something that I think is rather lost in the psychology of America in general today, and for certain my own trials to simply finish college to this day give me inner strength and encouragement anew when I need it most in my day to day struggles at this stage of life.
There is a lot to be said for one's own elbow-grease, a common term in my family growing up.
Hopefully, this post does not contain spelling errors, I can't find my reading glasses, such an irritating thing to now need reading glasses!!
Eloquently put! So few realize that it isn't the outside world that is killing the American dream, but that it is Americans themselves who are choking the life out of it! There seems to be an entire generation (maybe two?) who have forgotten the very foundation of hard work, solid reliability, and self-reliance that dream was built upon to begin with. Too many have come to believe and to rely upon the theory that they are entitled to the benefits of living the American dream, and too few remember that the key to attainment was always in the achievement. It seems that you and I are cut from very similar cloth.... I really enjoyed this piece. I Look forward to reading more hubs from you.
Thanks Doug, glad you found this timely.
Calls to mind the Melissa Ethridge lyrics: "there's no one to hear/you might as well scream/ they never woke up/ from the American dream." Good poem and very topical.
Sebastian, My apologies for a 4 week lag in answering your comment. I am very flattered you were directed to my poem about the American Dream. I do still believe in the American Dream, I think we must continue to believe in the concept despite the will of many in control of our country to bastardize the concept in to one of dreaming of being on the dole for all of their life at the expense of what others have worked hard for, rather than what they themselves have worked hard to accomplish.
It would appear that in our country today almost 50% of Americans do not even qualify to pay income tax, that would indicate the failing of the American Dream, the failing of the work ethic of America.
I see now grotesque future change more in that direction. For example, Weiner yesterday?, an elected rep., made it terribly clear that liberals in this country have zero respect for Americans who have worked to achieve something to leave their children. His opinion is you are DEAD, what matter to you, better the monies you worked and saved and perhaps even died young for in your striving to achieve, are better redistributed to those who choose to make their American Dream one that is the working and milking and robbing of the actual hardworking, sacrificing, and taxpaying Americans.
Thanks for commenting, and again my apologies for my unconscionable delay in responding to your sincere question......Katie
I am a highschool student who was given your poem to analyze in relation to Gatsby's version of the American Dream. My family and I (we are from Canada) have visited the U.S many times and the sense of pride and patriotism is still alive and well. The resilience of the american people is to be admired even now in these trying times.
Do YOU still believe in the american dream?
Thanks Trinsick, I'm glad you liked this, found it inspiring, thanks for letting me know...KF
Very inspiring, I wish I had the ability to write poems
Hello Serendipity,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this poem, I’m glad you found it interesting. On your quotes, the first from Adams I find very apt and can see why that one would come to mind, and certainly we humans have a difficult time grasping the lessons of our own lives, much less seeing clearly the experiences of others and learning from them.
The other quote that came instantly to your mind, and that’s impressive, to hold such quotes so at hand in your mind, is quite debatable. Were that quote to have legitimacy and applicability to most humans, I’m afraid all of our Presidents would need constant counsel and enlightenment as to the lives of others so they would wield their power and judgment wisely, as one has to think highly of one’s self to ever reach that elected office.
Poor judgment of others born out of envy is generally not the product of an individual’s great ego, but instead of their own insecurities and resentments and level of self-respect, along the same lines as the horrible women on women attacks born of jealousy.
I could totally relate to that hub of yours, and it’s a topic well worth keeping alive in the hopes of reaching others, making them think to check themselves.
I think perhaps you did misunderstand some of the poem. You reference the second part as addressing the poverty in our Nation, but I’m not. I’m addressing the personal poverty many Americans have endured, and endured stoically, to achieve their vision of their future, without having the federal government babysitting them along the way – and ‘learning’ from that experience. The learned life experience these days, increasingly as the years go by, is one of looking to the federal government for help as though it is a deserved birthright.
The true poverty in some quarters of our Nation is heart-breaking, and has always been, and from that poverty many have changed their lives generation after generation, and pulled themselves from it – and now many more are falling back into it every day as their burden of bloated government increases and jobs continue to run dry.
Thanks very much for your comments, they were thoughtful and appreciated……KF
First I would like to thank sincerely for sharing. I found your poem to be very interesting. Two quotes stick out in my mind… Douglas Adams once said that “human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” The other quote that instantly came into mind is a far more debatable quote but seems fitting… “None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves,” Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I loved the second part of what you wrote where you address the problem with overwhelming poverty within our own nation. Thank you so much for sharing. Please let me know if I misunderstood any of your work. I would have hated to misinterpret anything.
Thanks for your comment, George! I agree, sometimes it seems as though the 'powers that be' do wish to quelch the spirit of individualism, and I think the United Nations is one of those powers, their fingers are everywhere I'd imagine.
I see the UN vision of the future as akin to a world of happy 'sharecroppers', and, unfortunately, many influential lefty Democrats 'prey' at the altar of the United Nations.
Success; the spirit of rugged individualism is alive in your poem. Sad to say that the powers that be have done their best to try and kill something that was exclusively American. Myself, you and others will not let them conquer us.
Hey WB, Your summation is really excellent, very well said, and I'm happy that you could hear the message, feel the sentiment, I was trying to convey. These days it seems like the old American Dream as well as pride in being an American, is fading in some quarters of our society. As always, thanks very much for your comments!
KF...that was fantastic my friend. You said a lot of things that needed saying about what it really means, what it takes, the sacrifices, to just hang on here in America. But at the same time, you also stated the loyalty, the belonging, the dedication you felt in being an American and being part of American. You do me proud and I love ya for it! WB
Thanks Becca! Yep, make snide comments and assume, and rip you off any chance they get, and you may be days away from losing everything, but if the appearance is otherwise, you are judged ill by this sort -- how about 'profiled' by them.
The message you send is so true. I know many of the people you speak of, who envy those that have it better. They don't ask what they did to get to that point, only want to speak snide comments and assume. Wonderful job! : )
Hey Kalto, I like your observation, I was also thinking along the same lines when I included the rather Australian phrase 'no worries'. I'm keeping your last 2 sci-fi hubs on my radar to read when the day is quieter! Thanks for stoppping by. :)
First of all, I'm going to apologize in advanced for not commenting on the overall message of the poem and, instead, choosing a small detail to comment on.
Anyway, I just have to say, I like how you wrote a poem about the AMERICAN dream and ended with a French greeting/salutation. I found that to be clever. :)
Sad, but so true, it will all be lost as the red tape streams, and the American Dream is left an empty well, fed by nothing, drawn dry, the old bountiful bucket full of rot.....
Hard work can pay,
So what do you say?
Let's roll up our sleeves,
The worker gets footing and achieves.
But don't be deceived by American Dreams,
It'll all be lost as the red tape streams!
Thanks for the congrats, Eric, and 28 years is someone with a lot of dogged determination, so congrats to you as well. Vote the bums out, recall their pay raises, and confiscate all federal pension monies for redistribution.
Congratualtions, K! Really, I mean that. I spent 28 years earning my sheepskin. And, vote the bums out?
Thanks POP, just feeling aggravated lately at all the redistribute and reparate . . . that will mostly just make life harder for those who managed to just keep their head above water the past few years.
Kudos to you! I admire you...
tillsontitan Level 7 Commenter 5 months ago
Your poem is not arrogant but should be a wake up call to many! "spend it wisely, spend it well!
Ever mindful of all endured . . .
The American Dream" Sound advice! Voted up.