I could not celebrate the 4th of July or the 250th. I am too ashamed of the harm we have done and are doing right now: building concentration camps, enabling genocide, removing aid to sick and starving people across the world and endangering the very land and water and all its inhabitants.
But we can build a better world for everyone and create a country that lives up to its stated ideals. If Langston Hughes who suffered injustices beyond my imagination retained hope in his lifetime, I can too.
For the first prompt, write about your place within America or the world. What future do you want to help create?
For the second, write about this nation’s birth in an essay or poem. What event or period embodies its founding?
The third prompt is to use the line “They’ll see how beautiful I am” as a ghostline. Remember to erase the line and credit the poet in an after statement or in your title after drafting your poem or story.
The next is to write a poem or story using the following list of words: “sing,” “brother,” “kitchen,” “well,” “strong,” “tomorrow,” “table,” “beautiful,” “ashamed” and “America.”
Bonus prompt: write about whatever this photo inspires.
Bonus prompt: write about taking the sentient skull of one of the Founders for a drive through modern America and answering his questions about what has happened since his death. What do you demand of him?