Independence Day

This morning
I zip into the Chevron,
grab a shot of caffeine,
Head on my way.
In front of me
A woman on a cell phone slows traffic.
I watch another walk her dog
On the long winding path beside me,
No cares, no concerns.

Yesterday,
As I hit snooze,
Purrs of lawnmowers and
shrills of children on bikes
Dashed in through my window.
I turned over,
Went back to sleep
Because I could.

Overseas,
A friend sleeps on rock,
In tents,
As much as he can,
Before jumping into action
on streets where
Women scurry with children,
Men eat quickly in fear,
Pausing only to listen for any
Sign of threat.

This Independence Day,
I pray that the joy I have
With family and friends
Is scattered across the globe,
In the minds and hearts of children,
Who also play, but
Under shelter of cover,
Not openly in the streets
As in AMERICA.

This Independence Day
I pray for PEACE.
I extend gratitude
To those
Who give me and my children
the choice
To simply BE.
Allison Puccetti Adams 2009