The spirit of a nation
Is the unity and integration
Of many ethnicities and religions and social classes,
Rich people and poor people,
Leaders and followers,
Aristocrats and commoners,
Woven together by the fabric of identity,
A common narrative of how they came to be.

More than 200 nations exist today,
Each one a unique conglomeration of ideals and experiences,
A diversity of flags and languages, faiths, cultures, and memories.

So long as we the citizens have a say
And that we choose to properly utilize
The authority given to us
As informed and actively participating citizens,
We can keep alive
The hopes, the ideals, and the social contracts
That founded every nation that has ever existed
Up to the present day.

We cannot afford to lose our optimism,
For only those who wait patiently,
They who humbly serve others
During trials, tribulations, and successes,
Receive the fruits of their trust
In the powers that be,
The opportunities that have yet to be seen.

This is the spirit of a nation,
The grand experiment
Of shared faith and mutual cooperation

It is the labor of optimism
Forged by many ethnicities and religions and social classes,
Rich people and poor people,
Leaders and followers,
Aristocrats and commoners,
Social contracts and natural rights,
Common histories and shared identities.

A nation is greater
Than its physical presence and its components,
Its military force, its economy, and its governance.
It is the expectation that must be met,
That our hard work will leave each generation
More prosperous than the past.

We must move forward together,
For the call of unwavering unity has beckoned us

To come together at last.

Published by Andrew Blitman

Andrew Blitman is a poet and artist who is also the webmaster of this blog. He is the published author of 13 books, including "Birthright 2012: A Voyage into the Heart and Soul of Israel" and the "Wild Writers" Series. He can be reached at this e-mail address: andrew.blitman@gmail.com View all posts by Andrew Blitman