‘merican girls and ‘merican guys
we'll always stand up and salute
we'll always recognize
when we see Old Glory flying
there's a lot of men dead
so politicians can sleep at night when they lay down their head
I didn’t serve in the Army
never lost my right eye but I’ll fly a flag out in my yard
until the day that I die.
i want my mother, my brother, my family and me
to grow up and live happy
in the land of the free
but this nation that I love has fallen under attack
a buncha bureaucrats sold our souls
they ate and got fat
soon as they could see clearly
that the money would fly
man, they lit up your world
made us believe in a lie
the NSA put your name at the top of its list
and idea of liberty got fucked with their fists
and democracy died, man it's gonna be hell
when you hear the undertaker start ringin' his bell
when its feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you
brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue
justice’s never served but the battles still rage
this big dog will fight
just as long as it’s paid
and you'll be sorry
that you pledged to
the U.S. of A.
'cause we'll let a bunch of dudes die
it's the American way
the NSA put your name at the top of its list
and idea of liberty got fucked with their fists
when you get home, you’ll cry, man it's gonna be hell
when you hear how much they got when your soul they did sell
and it’ll feel like the land you love is falling down ‘round you
brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue
Steve Callahan is a writer, a poet and a former Marine infantryman. Bursting with creative efforts, Steve runs a poetry site, podcast, and is heavily involved in PB Abbate. Steve’s writing covers his experiences in the Marines, his deployment to Helmand and the psychological peaks and valleys of an infantryman’s life. Follow him here.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Did you know that VetRep is now producing the annual Cornwall 4th of July Pageant? The pageant has a rich history going back over 50 years and we’re honored to take the reins and tell Cornwall’s story in a way you’ll probably find shorter, faster and funnier. This is the community theater production you’ve all been asking for – local, non-professional actors (and some pretty familiar faces!), and a script that is equal parts local history, American history and Monty Python, we’ll even have performances from Cornwall’s own Dance Design School! If you’re in the area, come check it out at 6:30pm on July 4th – immediately following the parade and right in front of town hall.
VetRep is thrilled to present seven veteran-authored 10-minute plays each Saturday night during July. Denis Meadows’ poignantly thrilling A Brush Against the Indifference of the Universe, Arianna Rose’s funny Sex, Lies & Syrofoam, Richard Fouts’ madcap comedy Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Jack Rushton’s provocative George’s Radio, Terry Glaser’s Greek myth-turned-film noir The Big Dark, Donald Ranard’s thoughtful Elbow.Apple.Carpet.Saddle.Bubble, and VetRep Artist-in-Residence Daniel Guyton’s absurdist Service for None. Get your tickets here before they sell out!
We are currently offering multiple dates for our online and in-person Playwriting for Veterans classes, and our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.