America is the three hundred pound gorilla ,
that sticks a fork in his arm and brags
"it don't hurt man!". Then rides the subway
train ,complaining about paying adult fare,
while taking up two seats in the middle isle.

America is the middle school bully that
tugs the pony tail of school yard girls ,
taunting them with elastic slingshots.
Then shares his lunch with you and asks
you about your poetry .

America is the well-toned James Dean adolescent
who steals the panties from young teenage
girls , then cries out loud when his mother
won't call .

America is a dual-carb 450 cubic-inch red
Buick that rides the curb of the pedestrian lane
on its way to Sunday school , stopping once
to pick up a hitchhiker .

America is the well-endowed country girl who
sits through an Arthur Miller play , polishing
her nails , then comments "You know, my cousin 
used to be in sales - no kidding".

America is the old woman who sits at the park 
bench , fumbling the Wall street journal , while
knitting socks for her chihuahua .

America is the blue pickup truck full of gas that
overturned on the bypass , spilling its payload of
supermarket flyers for the morning paper .

America is the nineteen year-old girl 
who propositions you , then later explains her 
genealogy from the Plymouth rock to Upper West side .
Finally, giggling that she's really conducting a 
survey for her NYU thesis .

America is the taxi at the curb , that waits 
day and night with engine running , even when 
the streets have been closed for days for a 
civic parade .