Dean Okamura

Fire Season

 

          a house divided against itself cannot stand. 

          — Abraham Lincoln, quoting the Bible 

I'm a recent immigrant 

I don't know who to trust 

Sirens wail through sleepless nights 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm a baby boomer 

Spent my life building this land 

It took years for change to come 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm an American watching the news 

Scrolling past the warnings now 

Too much noise, too much to bear 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm an elected official 

They tell me, Get with the program 

I want to be re-elected again 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm a Conservative Evangelical leader 

We want to see all Satanic strongholds brought down 

We pray for our President 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm one who voted for Trump 

I want the woke world torn apart 

I sip my drink and smile at their ruin 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm a chaos agent 

Push the limits, widen all cracks 

Let it fall, let it burn 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm Donald Trump 

I love a fire sale 

Burn, baby, burn 

My heart watches America in flames 

I'm the earth 

Can you stop? 

Can you stop? 

My heart watches America in flames 

Hearts flame resistant

 

We were told to fight, 

but not how to lose. 

They forgot truth, 

hired consultants, 

sold us on cool, 

social fundraising. 

The world burns, 

but profits rise. 

They want our votes, 

but not our voices. 

We studied past movements, 

tried to find shortcuts, 

tried to build inclusion 

without wisdom made new. 

It's not about fighting Trump. 

It's not about fighting our neighbors. 

So, what now? 

Not fists, not fire, 

but something else, 

something steady, 

something strong. 

Not for them, 

for us. 

Together, 

let's make 

our hearts 

flame resistant.