Lift Off. A poem by Jessamyn Helen Witthaus

The American flag burns
On the side of the rocket
In the outstretched hand of a rioter
I wonder
Can they breathe in that heat?
Lift off time
The lid has been lifted on their anger
Propelled them to yet more action
What is the atmosphere like?
On the streets of the USA

Lift the lockdown
Free the people, unshackle the economy
The sky is the limit, possibilities endless
As I hold the pieces of the puzzle
Each breaking news bulletin in the palm
of my hand

The feelings I have are blurred
Awe
Then fear, anger, the future
Yes, the future is now a feeling, fleeting
Not solid
Emotions mingle like an acid test

What might those men in the sky return to
When they set their feet touched by the spangled stars
Back on scorched Earth