An older piece of mine, first shared on Facebook when a certain poem and its variants were making the rounds. A friend posted it yesterday (with permission), so here it is for anyone who wants to find it again.

America is the Gun
That holds its head up high.
That does not scorn the fight,
That does not scorn to die.

America is the gun,
Bound, bloodied, and tied,
Scorned by unblooded cowards
In the name of those who died.

America is the gun,
That the world begs for its peace
When they have dismissed their soldiers
In false noblesse oblige.

America is the gun,
That says ‘enough no more’,
And fights with both hand tied
On many distant shores.

America is the gun,
The world holds in contempt,
And yet the world would burn
Unless our guns are kept.

America’s Gun copyright © Heather Strickler 2026 all rights reserved