I pledge allegiance
to this sand and gravel road
that runs between the river and my house,
clumps of California poppies
rangy stalks of fragrant fennel
and burgeoning
fig trees
that grow wild
on the river bank.
I pledge allegiance
to the rhythm
of the spoken word
to cheap pens
and notebooks
that welcome my untamed
first drafts,
subsequent scribbles
and finally the respectability
of punctuation.
I pledge allegiance
to wild dreams
and imaginings,
the strength of the human heart
and the power of universal mystery.
Happy 4th of July! What do you pledge allegiance to?
