American Snapshot

Kelli Russell Agodon

My neighbor who says fuck all the time

has painted a flag on the side of his house.

He doesn’t have room for thirteen stripes,

only twelve. There are thirty-six stars.

Hanging off the porch — a flag faded to white.

It has been there since September 12th, 2001.

When his son comes back from the mall

wearing a Who Would Jesus Bomb? t-shirt

my neighbor shouts, Whose fuckin’ side are you on?

The boy shrugs his shoulders and turns away.

 

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