a morning prayer

6am sun pressing down on my hand

we gather around the flag because the bible was blue red white

boys & girls separated to segregate sin                            some of us are sin chasms

we pray at the flag to the flag we pledge to the flag to the bible

i’m wearing a knee length skirt because legs are sinful              dew on the grass is sinning
dew on the grass is innocent

i look up at the flag i look up at the prayers

exhalations of how we writhe for god

for red for blue for white, only for white

this is the last time i recite the pledge of allegiance

By Ashley Miranda

Biography:

Ashley Miranda is a latinx poet from Chicago. Her work has been previously featured by the Denver Quarterly, Yes, Poetry, Ghost City Review, Lockjaw Magazine, and Glass Poetry Press. She tweets impulsive poetry and other musings @dustwhispers.