Mike James

america

lately, you seem smaller
no longer with a capital letter in your name 
your large A has run off with Apple stocks and Avon  
you are the size of a field mouse 
i can fit you into my shirt pocket
i can carry you to the mailbox, to the barn, to the grocery store when i go 
to get my bread and radishes 
your squeak needs a megaphone to sound like a roar 
i can scratch your ears and your head, but you keep biting my fingers 
america, you can learn to walk on a leash, it’s not so bad
ask the housecat, ask the badger 
your tricks no different than the circus lion in his ring 
only a bright and shiny thimble to stand on instead of chair